The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Share Your Badassity => Topic started by: TheCatWhisperer on May 19, 2014, 05:44:55 PM
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For all you lady Mustachians, do you have any beauty hacks that you would recommend?
I'll go first!
1. Using aspirin twice a week to exfoliate. I moisten about 7-8 tabs in the shower and work into my skin. Then I let it sit for about 3 minutes before washing it off. It's a mild acid so it seems to really brighten my complexion. My skin is oily so use with caution for sensitive skin.
2. Best homemade shaving gel is a mix of olive oil and aloe. I tend to add more aloe than oil because of my skin, but you can tweat the ratio to work best for your skin type.
3. Coconut oil can be used for everything. Especially deep conditioner, lip balm, eye cream. Love this stuff.
What are your favorites?
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1. Use baking soda in water instead of shampoo (there's some adjustment time and anyone interested should read about no-poo)
2. Use vinegar in water to condition hair and as smoothing spray
3. Oil wash face for moisturizer and cleaning
4. use oil on legs after shaving instead of lotion
5. use salt scrub for exfoliating (or can use sugar)
6. use sunscreen on face everyday instead of retinol-A or age creams
7. make my own lip balm and hand balm from oil and bees wax
8. use lemon juice in hair in sun to lighten (am naturally dark yellow blonde)
9. use natural sweater stone on pills and reusable lint brush on pet hair/lint to keep clothes in in good shape and tidy
10. keep a limited wardrobe of only items that really fit and look good and donate the rest (get most from thrift store)
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1. Curl my hair overnight with socks for easy getting ready and no electricity
2. Make homemade sugar wax
3. Homemade whipped body butter as lotion
4. Haircuts by my husband
5. Homemade sea salt hair spray for beach waves with a little chamomile and lemon to lighten my blonde hair
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1. Don't associate with people likely to judge you based on your appearance.
2. Don't give a fuck.
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1. Don't associate with people likely to judge you based on your appearance.
2. Don't give a fuck.
This is my favorite beauty hack.
I wear the same five or so shirts and three pairs of pants to work each week. Same pair of boots every day.
I bathe daily, but haven't shaved anything in a year and a half. And yes, I still wear shorts, skirts, and sleeveless shirts (but not at work!).
No make-up. Naturally radiant!
But hmm... I have used used coffee grounds as an exfoliant before. Then I dumped them outside to help the soil grow more lovely weeds.
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1. Make my own lotion/beeswax moisturizers
2. Don't wear much make-up - mascara and under eye powder is more than enough
3. Change your diet to see if there are any triggers to bad skin (too much wheat for me = dark under eyes)
4. Drink lots of water
5. Shave with regular soap (locally made, doesn't work as well with the cheapo chemical stuff)
6. Double edge safety razor
7. Cut my own hair, no hair dye
8. Baking soda as a face scrub, similar to the aspirin since it is slightly acidic, exfoliates and rebalances pH.
9. Make my own bath salts
10. Used to make my own deodorant but got lazy . . . .
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Ooh, thanks for the shaving gel recipe. I usually use soap, but something more moisturizing would be nice. I'm always wondering what to do with that random bottle of aloe in my bathroom.
As for the basics, I work out regularly, get plenty of sleep (no kids yet!), take care of my teeth, and keep a sunny disposition. Seems to be working well for me so far.
My skin is always dry, especially in the winter, and from spending my days in an air-conditioned office building. Erica at NW edible had a great post on dry brushing. I had never heard of it before - any opinions?
I never would have considered cutting my own hair before hanging out on this forum. I've used the ponytail method a couple of times, and I think I'm ready to do a more pro haircut in a few weeks. There are seriously some great tutorials on youtube. No poo was definitely not working for me, but I just use el cheapo V05 instead. Regular trims, washing every few days max, and limiting heat styling is my hair care recipe.
I usually wear eye makeup for work, but not much else. It's not necessary in my office. I have uneven skin tones, so I occasionally use a tinted BB cream to even things out. I have green eyes, so I gravitate towards wearing colors that make my eye color stand out - dark greens and purples. Same thing for eye shadows.
For the menfolk, I've made my husband a copycat Art of Shaving preshave oil, and a couple of different aftershaves.
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I use inexpensive hair conditioner to shave my legs. I can get a bottle of Suave for 99 cents and often I can get a coupon to make it cheaper. Lasts a long time and more moisturizing. I put it in a old pump bottle to dispense.
I've been doing the DIY oil cleanser method for a couple of years now and I love it. Once a week I turn it into a scrub by adding a little cornmeal to the cleanser.
This is not a beauty tip but it has helped me a lot. Every week I pick out all my work clothes for the week and hang the outfits on a single hanger along with the accessories I plan to wear with the outfit. It takes less than 30 minutes of prep time to be ready for the week and it saves me a lot of time in the morning. It has also contributed to me purging unused clothes from my closet because I could really see what things I was reaching for time and again.
I think just finding the level of dolled up that makes you feel happy with yourself but not overburdened with the upkeep is pretty valuable. Caring about how you look is only a problem when you have to spend thousands upon thousands to get to a place that makes you happy.
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1. Stay in shape.
2. Don't get out of shape.
3. If you are out of shape, get back into shape.
4. If you're a guy, feel lucky that most women aren't as shallow as we are. Your personality and physique can make up for less than perfectly symmetrical features.
5. If you're a lady, sorry we are so shallow.
While Guitarstv has a point, in real life attractiveness can matter. Up to a point.
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1. Stay in shape.
2. Don't get out of shape.
3. If you are out of shape, get back into shape.
4. If you're a guy, feel lucky that most women aren't as shallow as we are. Your personality and physique can make up for less than perfectly symmetrical features.
5. If you're a lady, sorry we are so shallow.
100% yes. A good diet and some exercise does wonders for your appearance. I see a lot of women who put a lot of time and money into expensive clothes and highlights for their hair when if they just walked or ran outside, they would get those highlights and fit into their existing clothes better.
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1. Don't bother with expensive face cream/anti-wrinkle, just get the cheapest bottle of hand lotion with SPF you can find that you like and feels nice on your skin, and use it on your face.
2. Cut your own hair using the pony tail method (for medium to long hair length). About once a year I get my hair cut short at the local hairdresser, let it grow out, and then cut it once or twice using this method. Saves a bit of money, but doesn't look quite as professional as the professional cut ;) Wouldn't trust the hubby with scissors!
3. I don't bother with make-up, too much hassle. *Shrug* Wearing make-up religiously as a teenager/young adult never got me dates or boyfriends. Gaining more self-confidence, being myself and learning to laugh and not over-analyse everything helped a lot more. That said, I am lucky to have fairly good complexion.
I wish I could feel the same about the grey hairs :(
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I have a few friends who will give me the beauty products they bought but didn't like. It keeps the stuff out of a landfill, and I've learned firsthand that there really is very little difference between the cheap stuff and the stupid expensive stuff.
Homemade products are great. Sugar wax, cornstarch dry shampoo and oil as lotion are the ones I use.
Clothing swap parties are a lot of fun. Everyone cleans out their closet and brings things they don't wear and you bring home what you want. This can be extended to accessories and beauty products, too. Make it a potluck for even more fun.
I read a book about the history of thrift that cited a 19th century homemaker's guide as recommending earwax as lip balm, but I haven't been able to bring myself to try it.
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I've been shaving with coconut oil. It does get the razor blades a little gunky and probably shorten their lifespan but I really appreciate having fewer products doing more jobs. I also wash my hair with diluted baking soda once or twice a week and use diluted apple cider vinegar as conditioner.
I've been wondering if there's an easy, green body wash to be made, but not enough to actually....google it.
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Baking soda and lemon juice make a marvelous and bubbly face scrub once a week (but keep those eyes slammed shut...ouchie!)
Skip expensive manicures and keep the nails trimmed short but keep a clear coat on most of the time for shininess (probably more of a function of having to be in uniform than preference)
Apple cider vinegar rinse for product buildup in the hair (again, military)
Loads of SPF
A genuine smile is the best way to brighten your face!
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I didn't read through so some of these may have been posted already.
I often get complimented on my skin and these are "tips" I share.
1. Coconut oil with a drop of tea tree and/or lavender oil as moisturizer at bed time
2. I visit at hair stylist who works from home therefore and charges 50% of salons. I tried the at home cuts and with my thick wave hair they looked horrible.
3. Sunscreen every day even in the winter. Never ever fake tan ... which is big here.
4. St.Ives apricot scrub 2-3 times a week on my face in the shower. This stuff is about $2-3 with a coupon which are easy to find and they last me 3-4 months.
5. Primrose oil supplements. Again about $10 a bottle and last probably about 6 months.
6. Oh and most importantly good nutrition (clean eating) and exercise :)
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blackhead remover:
Knox gelatin and oil absorbing face paper (the non shiny one)
i melt the gelatin and apply it around my nose, cover with the face paper, wait for it to dry and peel off.
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I've been wondering if there's an easy, green body wash to be made, but not enough to actually....google it.
I use Dr Bronner's diluted (maybe 5:1 water to soap) in an old foaming hand soap dispenser.
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Unfortunately, I don't wear make up or do my hair, so right off the bat I'm saving a ton of money.
However, I do have long hair and HATE HATE HATE hair dressers. Every time I go, I have the same thing done.. cut off a few inches and then layer it. But every time, the layers are awful so I avoided going to get my hair cut. This then resulted in tons of tangles, dead ends, and a static mess in the window.
I've read quite a few times where the men have shared stories about cutting their own hair. There are some women here who also do the same, but have offered methods that make me very nervous (bunch hair into ponytail after brushing hair forward and then cut to get layers).
Here's my solution though:
Crea Clip. This thing is amazing. I've had it for a few year now. Works great for ladies who want to cut their daughter's hair or their own.. works best for us ladies who have longer hair.
I paid roughly $30 for the clip, used it a zillion times and every time I use it, I save myself $40 by not going to a hair dresser who usually screws my hair up.
The only time I pay to have my hair cut is when I'm donating it. A few weeks ago, I donated 12 inches and then found out that because I donated my hair they were giving me half off!! Was very very pleased with the discount, but the layers the hairdresser gave me were the same results I would get from the Crea Clip.
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I also use the coconut oil as an evening moisturizer. (Not necessarily RIGHT at bedtime--it's greasy!)
And I make my own sugar wax and use it myself--full details and about.com recipe at http://frugalparagon.com/2014/01/28/if-i-can-you-can-home-eyebrow-waxing/
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I HAVE ONE!
I occasionally slather Vaseline on my feet and hands, then wear socks to bed. On my feet and hands.
Soft appendages!
I had to start doing it on my hands because I washed my hands so often my skin cracked and bled, but now I do it because it's kind of fun to go to bed with sock puppets.
O__O
EDIT: Vaseline is also what I use when I want my lips to look shiny. Or if they get chapped.
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
Soap works just fine (real soap!). And if you don't have the hard stripping chemicals, you end up not needing moisturizer because your body is doing the work for you. Augment nature, don't try to replace it and you're most of the way towards winning the war.
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Real soap = bar soap? What brand do you like? I think I'm gonna try to talk my husband into us making the switch. Then we can stop buying all those bottles and stupid loofahs.
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
I use regular old soap, the same I use on my body. It's worked pretty well for me. For my mom as well, who's never used anything else. And people still mistake her for my sister.
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Real soap = bar soap? What brand do you like? I think I'm gonna try to talk my husband into us making the switch. Then we can stop buying all those bottles and stupid loofahs.
I get my soap from a one man soap shop near my place of work, but in general if you look at the ingredient list and you can read everything and it's less than six ingredients you should be okay!
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
Water. I've never put anything else onto my face. I mean I guess if I got motor oil or something on it then I'd use regular soap to clean it off but my face is never dirty.
I'm afraid my beauty hacks are similar to above. It don't wear makeup, love vaseline for my lips and just clip my nails myself. I do get my haircut every 6-8 weeks or so but I found a local woman who works out of a garage and it costs about $7 each time so I'm not complaining.
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I use the oil cleansing method in the winter and when my skin feels drier http://www.crunchybetty.com/nitty-gritty-on-the-oil-cleansing-method . I just use plain old olive oil and have noticed no breaking out at all, and now the only moisturizer I use is an inexpensive face sunscreen everyday. When my face is not dry, I just use water. If my face seems really gross (working outside, etc), I use dilute Dr Bronner's followed by an oil wash for moisture, but this is a rare thing.
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I also do the oil cleansing method. I usually massage the oil and then rinse it off in the shower. It works great.
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One of my favorite beauty hacks for evening-out skin tone and gentle exfoliating is yogurt-on-the-face. That's right: after washing face at night (I use a few tablespoons of unscented castillle soap like Dr. Bronner's diluted with lots of water, a splash of jojoba oil and a few drops of essential oil like lemon or peppermint, all mixed up in an 8 oz plastic bottle, lasts for months), I slather on a tablespoon or so of plain yogurt (no flavors) and let it set for 20 minutes or so. Then rinse with warm water and use moisturizer (coconut oil is yummy). It makes my skin really soft and smooth and feels like a luxuriously frugal spa treatment. Once a week is plenty. Report back if you try it!
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Long-term beauty hack... wear sunscreen! Every time you step outside, make sure you have some sort of sun protection on your face, neck and ears and arms/hands. Not only will you avoid the possible skin cancer development, but the sunspots and freckle and wrinkles will be less likely to develop. You'll thank yourself in your 40s when you look 10 years younger...
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Real soap = bar soap? What brand do you like? I think I'm gonna try to talk my husband into us making the switch. Then we can stop buying all those bottles and stupid loofahs.
I get my soap from a one man soap shop near my place of work, but in general if you look at the ingredient list and you can read everything and it's less than six ingredients you should be okay!
I now make my own soap with coconut oil, lye and water. Three ingredients. To avoid being too drying, I use a recipe that is 25% superfat (ie, 25% more coconut oil than the stoichiometric ratio) - I use the stick blender method, and pour into some flexy silicone muffin pans.
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Clothing swap parties are a lot of fun. Everyone cleans out their closet and brings things they don't wear and you bring home what you want. This can be extended to accessories and beauty products, too. Make it a potluck for even more fun.
I agree, this is one of my favorite and cheapest tips. We get a group together a few times a year and everyone brings good quality used clothing and accessories. It's awesome because we get people with all different body types and sometimes discover how clothes we never really liked look so much better when on the right body type. It's more fun seeing someone enjoy your clothes than leaving them in your closet to get dusty.
It's also a great excuse to get clothes that you wouldn't normally pick out for yourself without guilt because they are Free-99. I've brought in clothes I bought from thrift stores that are still in good condition and they found yet another new home!
Body-wise, I started bathing only a few times a week to keep my skin from drying out. I haven't really noticed a large difference in oil or greasy hair, honestly. I've also recently started using JR Liggett's Shampoo bar and have really liked it. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I like the way it leaves my hair soft and has very little packaging.
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I tried the baking soda instead of shampoo thing, and it was a massive failure. But I do really like apple cider vinegar instead of conditioner so at least I got something good out of that experiment. I like aloe vera gel to help tame the frizzies. I don't wear finger nail polish, but during sandal season I like fun colors on my toes. By doing only toes and not fingers, it lasts a lot longer (it always starts flaking off after just a day or two on my fingers) and my amateur job is a lot less noticeable way down there. For makeup, I only wear mascara.
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I wash face & body with soap (soap soap, not "beauty bar" soap. Real soap), shave under my arms with soap, and shave my legs with cheap hair conditioner. A tiny bit will cover a whole leg.
"Face cleansers" have never done me any good. Sometimes I use only water, sometimes bar soap if I'm feeling greasy or to wash off makeup.
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I use plain old bar soap I buy from the 99 Cent Only store for...99 cents! It's Dial Pure and Natural and comes in a three pack. Use if for my face and body (and when shaving my legs and underarms). Deodorant and suncreen in the day and Aveeno lotion at night. Suave or some kind of inexpensive shampoo and conditioner on my long hair. That's it! Bit of make-up - concealer, lipstick, blush and mascara - if I'm going out otherwise most day's I'm au natural. I have oily skin so the less the better.
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1. Don't associate with people likely to judge you based on your appearance.
2. Don't give a fuck.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655331418204842 (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655331418204842)
The problem is that there are a lot of people you judge you based on your appearance, and sometimes not associating with them will hurt you quite a bit!
1. Use baking soda in water instead of shampoo (there's some adjustment time and anyone interested should read about no-poo)
I'm all about the no-poo life! I don't even use baking soda - just water for the last 3 or 4 years. My dandruff is gone and my hair feels fuller than it used to (i think).
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1. Don't associate with people likely to judge you based on your appearance.
2. Don't give a fuck.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655331418204842 (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655331418204842)
The problem is that there are a lot of people you judge you based on your appearance, and sometimes not associating with them will hurt you quite a bit!
As the link you posted states "While looks can be altered by clothing, cosmetics and other short-term investments, the effects of these improvements are minor." So, while I agree one can't really avoid hanging out with people who subconsciously judge one based on their looks, it also doesn't seem that it's worth putting tooo much effort into one's appearance either.
I say this as someone who enjoys fashion and looking a certain way. But, I think it's important to do that if you find it enjoyable and feel like you are expressing your "true style" or being creative, not b/c one buys into the idea that effort they put into their appearance is critical to somehow influence how others treats them. Along these lines I agree with the sentiment of the PP: If someone has an issue with how I dress/look, it's their problem (ie, fuck 'em).
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
I use the oil cleansing method. I also use the same oil (a very thin layer) to moisturize my face. I can't believe I used to wash my face twice a day, use makeup remover at night, use toner both day and night, and then put on moisturizer. Craziness! Now I just use the OCM at night only. It's double duty - cleaning and makeup removing. Once I've wiped it off with a hot washcloth, I put a thin layer on for extra moisture. If my skin is feeling a little dry in the morning, I'll put a little more on, but that's it.
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I generally don't give a fuck. However, apple cider vinegar rinses cured my lifelong dandruff.
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I had to start doing it on my hands because I washed my hands so often my skin cracked and bled, but now I do it because it's kind of fun to go to bed with sock puppets.
Stop washing your hands so often that they crack and bleed.
I'm sure for alot of occassions, you can lightly rinse with only water. And don't "rub" dry, "pat" dry.
Haha... I'm better now, but this was compulsive behavior I couldn't exactly control for years. Getting a cat helped because I love her and she's filthy and rolls around in her litter box. Helped me calm my obsession with cleanliness tons. I kiss her filthy head each day and let her share my pillow!
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I used to have very dry lips and vaseline only made it worse. Lanolin was a wonder product for me - completely sorted out painful chapping and now I only put some on a few times a week . However, don't buy the expensive beauty brands: buy pure lanolin nipple cream! It comes in a bigger tube for half the size and does exactly the same job!
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I love this thread!
- A healthy diet and plenty of exercise for sure. Good health and self respect = more attractive than any amount of make-up.
- I get my hair cut at the local college for free. Since the students are being assessed they tend to do it really well.
- Coconut oil - works as moisturiser, make-up remover, hair conditioner, lip balm...
But mostly, yeah, not giving a fuck what other people think is the best plan :)
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I just discovered threading. I mean, I knew about it vaguely as a thing some friends went to have done in an obscure part of town. But I just bothered to look into it and... it's really easy? and you can do it yourself? and it's faster than tweezing, with no hot wax? and all it takes is a bit of sewing cotton? Why has no-one told me about this before?!
So I googled how to do it and tried it out tonight. It will take some time to get the coordination and spatial reasoning right, but it really is dead-easy.
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
regular soap can be pretty drying, and I found using face washes with sacilyc (sp?) acid actually made breakouts worse. Cetaphil works great for me. It's pretty inexpensive, gentle, and I no longer break out in a sea of pimples.
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Confession- I used to be addicted to Sephora. After ALL of the products I've tried and money wasted, I've discovered the following works best for me:
- Sunscreen!
- Drink water
- Cetaphil for daily face wash
- Face mask when I'm feeling fancy: plain yogurt, baking soda, dash of lemon juice.
- For every super exclusive overpriced cosmetic there's a drugstore version that works just as well.
- Smile! I like smiling, smiling's my favorite.
For the record, my addiction has now shifted to lip balm. Any easy homemade recipes out there? Preferably ones where I don't have to break out the candy thermometer? Not interested in going all "breaking bad" for lip balm.
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For a full body exfoliant, try dried Adzuki beans. You can buy the powder in cute containers at fancy hippy shops, but MMM-ers don’t do that! Every other year or so I buy a bag of the dried beans at the grocery store and pulverize them in the coffee grinder. Once a week I mix a tablespoon of the beans with a little warm water and scrub away. Silky soft skin, no plastic micro-beads washed out to sea.
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Okay, this may or may not be a hack, but it has helped me tremendously lately. . . I use the products that had previously been sent to the product graveyard of my bathroom closet. So many times, I have been wooed by a product ad or recommendation, and I've purchased the product. That leaves me putting away the half-used bottles or jars of whatever I was already using.
So lately, when I run out of something, I go to the closet and resurrect whatever was sent there to begin with. I'm currently back to using a moisturizer that I put away at least two years ago, and some leave in conditioner that is even older.
Of course, if it no longer works, or gives me crappy results, I toss it, but that rarely happens.
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I had only hot-water washed my hair for a few days (it felt lank and manky) so I tried the 1tbsp baking soda: 1cup water mix today. And it cleaned my hair beautifully - full and light and not oily at all all day today (a little dry on my scalp so I'll tweak the mix/try the rinse).
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Okay, this may or may not be a hack, but it has helped me tremendously lately. . . I use the products that had previously been sent to the product graveyard of my bathroom closet. So many times, I have been wooed by a product ad or recommendation, and I've purchased the product. That leaves me putting away the half-used bottles or jars of whatever I was already using.
So lately, when I run out of something, I go to the closet and resurrect whatever was sent there to begin with. I'm currently back to using a moisturizer that I put away at least two years ago, and some leave in conditioner that is even older.
Of course, if it no longer works, or gives me crappy results, I toss it, but that rarely happens.
I've been doing this! I want to move to all natural products that I make myself but I realized I have a stash of body wash and lotion leftover from my couponing days so I've vowed to use that up before I start on the all natural stuff. The stash was largely free so I didn't want to be foolish and not use it.
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- Smile! I like smiling, smiling's my favorite.
Ha ha. Love this movie. Smiling is my favourite too!
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
I use honey! I smear it on my face right before I hop in the shower, then rinse it off. I break out drastically less now.
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Okay, this may or may not be a hack, but it has helped me tremendously lately. . . I use the products that had previously been sent to the product graveyard of my bathroom closet. So many times, I have been wooed by a product ad or recommendation, and I've purchased the product. That leaves me putting away the half-used bottles or jars of whatever I was already using.
So lately, when I run out of something, I go to the closet and resurrect whatever was sent there to begin with. I'm currently back to using a moisturizer that I put away at least two years ago, and some leave in conditioner that is even older.
Of course, if it no longer works, or gives me crappy results, I toss it, but that rarely happens.
I've been doing this! I want to move to all natural products that I make myself but I realized I have a stash of body wash and lotion leftover from my couponing days so I've vowed to use that up before I start on the all natural stuff. The stash was largely free so I didn't want to be foolish and not use it.
I do this with hotel toiletries my family saves for me. I'm not picky! And some hotels actually have pretty fancy stuff.
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Okay, this may or may not be a hack, but it has helped me tremendously lately. . . I use the products that had previously been sent to the product graveyard of my bathroom closet. So many times, I have been wooed by a product ad or recommendation, and I've purchased the product. That leaves me putting away the half-used bottles or jars of whatever I was already using.
So lately, when I run out of something, I go to the closet and resurrect whatever was sent there to begin with. I'm currently back to using a moisturizer that I put away at least two years ago, and some leave in conditioner that is even older.
Of course, if it no longer works, or gives me crappy results, I toss it, but that rarely happens.
Yes! I've been doing this, too. As someone else mentioned, I'm doing it to move towards using homemade or more natural products. But the side benefit of using everything up has been that it has made me that much more determined to not buy junk. If it's terrible, I'll get rid of it, but if it's only "eh", then I use it and feel that much more resolved to pursue a less consumeristic path.
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- For every super exclusive overpriced cosmetic there's a drugstore version that works just as well.
Mostly true. My biggest make-up expense is my overpriced foundation which is the only one I've found that doesn't make my very fair skin look completely ridiculous. Fortunately, there are drugstore transparant powders!
Other than said foundation I'm very frugal reg beauty products.
- very long straight hair, cut approximately every 6-9 months (usually, hardly anybody notices) for around 25 EUR
- drugstore shampoo plus conditioner every 4-5 days (can't count the times I've been asked: how come your hair looks so healthy, what do you do? Answer: It's what you don't do. Do not color and do not shampoo daily and you'll be fine)
- "do" my own nails, usually without polish
- make-up: foundation and powder (see above) plus mascara. I'd love not to use it regularly but I need to given my occoupation (law firm)
- sunscreen is a necessity for me in summer. Fair skin and all.
- soap: usually bars from hotels where I or my SO stayed during business travel.
- hair removal: very simple razor blades/cardridges (not sure what the right term is), Gilette G II (no, I won't pay you double just for coloring the plastic pink)
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I had tried the baking soda/apple cider vinegar thing before to no avail. However, I'm two weeks into using a regular (organic, bought in bulk) shampoo with a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse instead of conditioner. My hair loves it!
I'm also doing dry brushing and I can feel the toxins working their way through my body. No chemicals, even better :-)
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I use the baking soda wash /acv rinse, and was having huge success with it until recently I started to get a build up -- I think due to overdiluted baking soda combined with increased sweating from biking in the hot weather. Last night I tried washing with a diluted egg yolk, and while I have never felt like a bigger hippie, my hair looks AWESOME today.
Unfortunately, the bathroom smelled eggy for a solid 12 hours.
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- I don't wear much makeup, so I try to buy things that last a long time (powders) if at all possible. Then I use free samples of the stuff that you're supposed to replace more often (like mascara).
- Posture! I have been doing physical therapy lately for a back issue, and my PT told me that I stand wrong. Now that I have learned how to stand right, I look super hot. It is shocking.
- I wash my face with... a wash cloth.
- I do admit that I get expensive haircuts, though. My hair is short and hipster-y.
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
I used to use a whole array of liquid cleansers - facial wash, body wash. I wanted to simplify the routine and stop purchasing the plastic bottles. After trying a variety of soaps, I found what works best for me is an olive oil soap. It has only a few simple ingredients, cleans well, doesn't irritate my sensitive skin, and a bar lasts much longer than the cheaper soaps.
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Went this weekend to the Aveda Institute (a national beauty school here in the US) and got my haircut by a friend who is enrolled in their program. I received a scalp massage, wash, cut, style, and a "finishing touch" (in which they let you try on some of their lip gloss) for $10. Yep, $10. It took approximately 3 hours (my hair was also really long, and the haircut I got was a big change, so needed lots of work), but a haircut at an Ulta salon (where I have gone previously) is about $50 for 1.5-2 hours, so therefore, I feel like I "made" $40/hr with the experience. I didn't buy the lip gloss that they tried to sell me (it was * $18 *), but I now know my ideal shade, so I can try to find some in a similar color somewhere cheaper. :) I will likely go back to Aveda, even after my friend graduates. They have instructors walking the floor, so they help out the students as needed, therefore, you won't leave looking awful or with a messed up haircut. Try it!
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I ran out of special face soap and have been washing my face with regular (castille) bar soap. So far... it still looks like my face. Apparently there is not actually a low that you can't wash your face and the rest of your person with the same soap.
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Nails: My favorite nail solution is baby-sized nail clippers. The tiny size gives me much more maneuverability to shape my tiny-person finger- and toenails into a nice round, attractive shape. They're also excellent for getting into the crevices for hangnails. It's a buy-it-for-life item, unlike emery boards which always wear out.
Hair: +1 to baking soda + apple cider vinegar hair wash. I started using this after hiking ultralight for 17 days, and I no longer have any dandruff. Yay! I actually need to wash my hair a bit more than I used to with shampoo (every other day instead of every third or fourth day), which I find annoying, but it's probably better for me anyway.
Face: I've been using Noxzema cold cream for facial cleanser since I hit puberty, but I've almost emptied my last tub. Does anyone have any more natural alternatives? I really like the cold-clean feeling, and being able to use it as part of my shower routine.
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I've always just used soap and water on my face, bar soap, same soap I use all over. Wet washcloth in small circles to exfoliate face, I scrub the crap outta my skin otherwise to get dead skin cells off that are dulling. Store brand oil of olay type moisturizer with spf after shower. People still don't think I'm as old as I am.
Shaving, I just scrub the crap outta my legs or pits and shave with water. Some cheapo conditioner sometimes to shave if the mood strikes me.
Hair, the best shape it's ever been in since I quit obsessively washing it. Now I wash it about once a week. Seriously. Always smells great and only might start to look wilted by day 6 or 7. Will do a coconut oil deep treatment once or twice a year. An apple cider rinse every other month or so. Don't put heat to it much, maybe blow dry it a few times a year. Otherwise, I let the shoulder length loose curls do as they want and they are so much happier doing their own thing over me forcing it into a style that's not meant to be.
I've been detoxing the pits of the horrid chemicals in today's anti-p/deo. Been trying a few things, but so far what's been working good is apple cider vinegar, sometimes a bit of baking soda or corn starch if the sweaty feeling gets to me.
Really trying to pair down my makeup. Aiming to find the right low ingredient tinted moisturizer, multi purpose lip and cheek color, and mascara. A weird hack I've found for myself recently is I've been giving my eyes a break from continued contact use, so instead I've been wearing some funky librarian looking reading glasses I picked up all WallyWorld for $6. I feel like I don't need much makeup to look put together with the glasses. Just throw them on and add some lip color and done.
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I have have good genes, and I am simply ruggedly handsome without the use of anything but water and apple cider vinegar. As a gesture of good will, I will share my awesome genes with equally pretty mustachian females. I can travel but since I am mustachian, you will have to pay all my expenses :D
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I use honey! I smear it on my face right before I hop in the shower, then rinse it off. I break out drastically less now.
I've never heard of that, but my face has been breaking out recently, and I always have honey at home. Worth a shot, thanks!
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ykphil, you are too much--watch out, the moderators will get you. : D
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ykphil, you are too much--watch out, the moderators will get you. : D
...ok, I should add that I also use honey and occasionally coconut oil, the kind that melts if rubbed vigourously with expert hands...I will bring those with me, free of charge...LOL
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Check out Cosmetics Database for the ratings on whatever you use.
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Not really a beauty hack, but I am French so I am going to be the first to bring up my esthetician. :) I spend very little on clothes, but when I do they are very high quality and last forever. In fact, I wear many of my grandmother's clothes as she had the same philosophy. I feel the same about my skin care and I love my monthly facials and feel that for me, it is money very well spent. As I approach 50 I have added a weekly massage on Friday afternoon. In my small town there are two people who give massage and so I take turns to make sure I support them both.
My other "aging gracefully" hacks would be to drink herbal tea with lemon every day, lots of sleep and to not complain (always unattractive, no?)
I love this forum as so many people have very thoughtful ideas about how to live a beautiful life with intention.
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Got some new ones!
Baking soda and lemon juice for a once a week facial scrub (so shiny and fresh)
BB cream and mascara for makeup...that's it.
Activated charcoal to boost tooth whitening (I drink loads of coffee and the stains come right off!)
And most importantly, smile! Happy is pretty!
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my wife uses her beautiful face and smile.
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my wife uses her beautiful face and smile.
Awwww....
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I use a few drops of sweet almond oil and a cheap vitamin E scrub for my face and have minimal makeup.
I am getting a haircut today (at home for £20 for both me and hubbie with a tip) and I only have this done about three times a year. I used to get my hair cut monthly for some unknown reason.
I put sea salt and a couple drops of essential oil in the bath at night and it softens my skin and it helps me sleep better.:)
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I make dry shampoo from corn starch, a little baking soda, and a few sprinkles of cinnamon. Smells great and kills the greasies, so I don't have to wash my hair every day. Also make homemade lotion with shea butter, coconut oil, and a few drops of jasmine oil. Smells great and is super moisturizing! Found Dorco razors thanks to this site, and they work great for so much less than what I used to pay for Venus razors... still makes me cringe thinking about it.
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I make dry shampoo from corn starch, a little baking soda, and a few sprinkles of cinnamon.
Oh yeah, I use this too (minus the cinnamon). To put it on I pull my hair back (exposes the greasier part of my scalp), use an old cleaned makeup brush to really work it in, let it sit 15-20 minutes, then take down my hair and brush it out well. Works well to get you through one more day without a shower.
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A few posters asked about face wash- i buy the two pack of cetaphil cleanser at costco and use a tiny amount every night- each bottle lasts me for over a year.
I use dove soap (also bought in bulk at costco) on my body and keep my skin really soft by only using soap in the important places (armpits and pelvic area!)- dermatologist approved! Water is just fine for the rest of the body unless you are mud wrestling or something.
Semi-regular body brushing along with the no soap means i need a lot less lotion.
Coconut oil is great for hair mask, dandruff
if you have an aveda institute near you they are great for inexpensive salon & spa services
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Um, my cat loves to lick my damp face after every shower, so it's like a free exfoliating scrub. Does that count? :)
Of course, YCMV (your cat may vary).
This also reminds me of the time I got super dolled up by a cosmetologist for my best friend's wedding (I was maid of honor), and the very first comment out of the SO's mouth upon seeing me was, "Is your face flammable?" When your guy doesn't notice your fake eyelashes, he's not gonna notice anything.
I do enjoy browsing YouTube for hairstyling tutorials, though. I've always wanted to learn how to french/dutch braid my own hair, because I think it looks neat. Just have to find the time. Maybe after FIRE...
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Keep meaning to post that Dollar General's "Gentle Skin Cleanser" seems identical to Cetaphil, and DG's "Anti-Aging Sculpting Cream" seems identical to the "Micro-sculpting Cream" that Olay (?I think it's Olay) sells in the red jar. Both are very good products, and while I can't remember the DG prices, they were eye-wateringly cheaper.
A couple tips on French braiding. It is easier if your hair isn't totally clean, and also it works better if you don't think about it too much. Practice kind of mindlessly while you are sitting in front of the TV. I think the easiest way to get started is to stand behind a friend who is French braiding their hair, and just do the same thing with your hands…just copy her. That's how I learned to French braid from a co-worker.
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I have gone mostly all-natural with my products, partially because I want to get rid of toxins in my life, and also because my skin started having bad reactions, so I was forced to. So, here's what I do :)
1) I use Bare Minerals foundation (It lasts me a long time because I use it sparingly), but I make my own "mineral veil" out of plain old cornstarch and a pinch of cocoa powder! It works better than the real thing!
2) I tried using baking soda/vinegar to wash my hair (no-poo), but I started getting bad dandruff. Didn't work for me unfortunately. So, I switched back to Trader Joe's Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. They are only like $3 a bottle, are natural with no harsh chemicals or SLS, and smell great!! I love this shampoo and conditioner.
3) I also use Trader Joe's face wash, bar soap (cheap and natural once again), and hand soap. I use their bar soap as "shaving cream" and it works fine. My razors still last a long time. I've always broken the rules and used soap. :)
4) Every year right after the holidays (Jan-Feb), I go on the Burts Bees website and buy 1-2 of their "grab bags", which usually have full sized lotions, and tons of cool stuff, for way cheap. I usually spend $15 on the bag, and it has 5 full sized products and a few samples. It's a great price for Burts Bees, and they are one of the only lotions I can use that smells good.
5) Coconut oil! Oil pulling for teeth whitening (even though I find it mildly disgusting), coconut oil as a deep moisturizer, and a tiny bit as a hair product.
6) I'm going to try boiling flax seeds to make hair gel. I've read about it online and it sounds great for when I wear my hair wavy!
As for everything, only use what you need and the bottle suddenly becomes twice as big as people that use a "full pump", etc! You save a lot that way.
I don't use heat on my hair much (maybe once every 2 weeks) and I hardly have damage in 6 months. Makes the haircuts go a lot longer.
Also, I heard you can spray rubbing alcohol on your older powders and eye shadows, and it will sanitize them. Just let them dry for a few hours and they are good as new.
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Confession- I used to be addicted to Sephora. After ALL of the products I've tried and money wasted, I've discovered the following works best for me:- Drink water
- Cetaphil for daily face wash
- Face mask when I'm feeling fancy: plain yogurt, baking soda, dash of lemon juice.
- For every super exclusive overpriced cosmetic there's a drugstore version that works just as well.
- Sunscreen!
- Smile! I like smiling, smiling's my favorite.
For the record, my addiction has now shifted to lip balm. Any easy homemade recipes out there? Preferably ones where I don't have to break out the candy thermometer? Not interested in going all "breaking bad" for lip balm.
Traditional sunscreen with all the chemicals is very bad for you, enters your bloodstream, and there's a lot of evidence that it causes more skin cancer than it prevents. It's best to use the natural kind, or just don't stay out long enough to get burnt. A little vitamin D is good for you.
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I have some new hacks I have been trying. Now one is a little out there...lard. I rendered lard in the crockpot and have been putting a bit on my face before bed. My skin looks much more vibrant. It has also been helpful for my husband's skin condition. Another thing I like to do is youtube hair tutorials. I have semi long hair and have learned all sorts of braids and sophisticated updos. These also look great on slightly dirty hair. I always get compliments on my hair.
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My fave is cold cream that is massaged into the skin. Then a wash cloth rinsed in hot water goes next to remove the cold cream while also scrubbing/exfoliating the skin. Feels good, cleans the skin well, and leaves a nice tingly glow.
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I decided to donate my hair to Locks of Love before I got too gray to do so. I wore long hair for five years, so I only paid for one haircut during that time. I then decided I wanted a chopped bob look. I asked everyone I saw with that hairstyle. Finally one of the librarians (of course!) where I volunteer recommended a place that costs only $13.00. Love it!
To the people who made nasty comments: This is not a "How do I make myself look like Barbie?" thread. The OP is asking a legitimate, if somewhat awkwardly worded question. Further, I don't care what you look like, but I do care what I look like. I don't wear make up or fancy clothes that need dry cleaning, but dammit, I feel better when I look nice and my husband loves it too. To each his/her own, but your ugly remarks are unnecessary and add nothing to the discussion.
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I occasionally make an exfoliating scrub using 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of coffee grounds. I only wear makeup once or twice a week, so people aren't surprised when they see me without.
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I also look younger than my age, but that is more good genes, and not getting sunburned when I was younger.
I use bar soap - honey glycerin - for face, body, and as a shave cream.
Lubriderm for a moisturizer.
French braid - try an inverted french braid (there are lots of pictures if you google this)- just braid in reverse and the braid sits on top of your head instead of the strands folding into the braid. I saw that first on a flight attendant and she told me how to do it - very elegant. I French braided my niece's hair for her first communion - great look for not a lot of effort. You just need strong arms to braid your own.
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Ah, french braids! Practice! Take your time, and don't try to weave huge hunks of hair at once, but just take a bit each time, same amount each time. Drag your fingernail across your scalp to make sure you're getting everything in that "row". Back up and undo if you realize some hair is sticking out.
When I did kayaking in college over my spring breaks, I needed my long hair pulled back but putting it in the usual pony tail under the helmet gave me a headache so I started to french braid it instead while we were driving to each river. It didn't need to look pretty, just stay there, so I got quite a bit of practice in. (Also used to wear it under my marching band hat in high school, but my friend braided it for me then.) I haven't done this in years. I'll have to try when my hair grows out a bit longer.
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My favourite facial moisturizer in the world is this one: http://www.makeupalley.com/product/showreview.asp/ItemId=66502/Complex-15-mositurizing-lotion/Unlisted-Brand/Lotions/-Creams
Complex 15. I buy mine at shoppers drug mart or superstore in Canada for about $10. It is AMAZING! It is so lightweight, and life hack: you can use Unscented moisturizers to take off your makeup. Yay! It saved my skin.
Love this thread! Thanks, OP!
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Oh, also: sign up for a sephora membership card. Every year on your bday you get a free no-strings-attached (other than potential addiction to their product) bday gift! One year I got a mascara that I'm still using :)
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These days, thankfully I don't need much to make myself "pretty". That's not a vain comment, I hope. It's just that I used to have a really bad skin condition that got cleared up with holistic medicine, exercise, avoiding processed foods and eating a lot of fruits and veggies (the kind I'm not allergic to - removed those), and buying a water softener (my skin issues had returned and my holistic doctor finally figured out it was something in my water supply causing the itchiness and rashes). I used to have to over-moisturize multiple times a day and would be embarassed about my skin issues and would try to cover it up. So these days, I am very happy and grateful for my cleared up skin.
I occasionally get some minor little rash when I start eating incorrectly. Like my office just had a free snacks day and I ate the some of them and then regretted it later as I got a little burning rash on my face and hands that went away after a day (must have been the chemicals they added to this unnatural popcorn). I must be a super-sensitive person as I see the effects of bad eating or bad water on my skin immediately.
So usually I just shower with regular soap, don't even use moisturizing cream, got a new hairstyle that requires no mousse or hair-dryer. It's really quite wonderful and low maintenance.
I won the genetic lottery too as my grandparents and parents didn't seem to show their age as much. I am 45 years old and still haven't had to color my hair (just a few sporadic grays).
I am deathly afraid of using "products" as I have these allergies to deal with. So I try to go as natural as possible. I found cleaning up my diet and holistic medicine was my best beauty routine. I use a little makeup when going to the office.
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Moisturise every day. Might not make you pretty now, but will have a huge impact when you are olded. I just buy cheap lotion that is dermatologically tested ($25 a litre which lasts over a year). I do wear foundation, but I use a natural mineral foundation and blush. It's not cheap but they do have specialsand it lasts along time. $70 will get me enough for a year. I use a basic eyeliner pencil and sometimes a lipstick for going out. It all fits in a quart size baggy with room to spare. So I guess, just buy a few good quality items (on special) that suit your life and you are sweet :)
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Am I the only one who doesn't wash her face everyday? I only shower every other day, and I just wash my face with my bar soap in the shower. My skin looks fine.
I have, however, noticed that as I get older (I'm 37) that my facial skin craves more moisturizer. For this reason, I sometimes put some lubriderm (or whatever I bought in bulk at Costco) lotion on my face before bed. But I don't wash it then either. Do we modern individuals really get so dirty that we need to wash our face every night before bed?
Recently I lost my lip balm by my bed and in a fit of desperation used some of my lanolin nipple cream that I have for breastfeeding. Um, that works wonders on dry lips! I haven't had any problems since, and it is so thick that one tube would probably last you years.
Last question: is it really true that moisturizer will make you look younger as you age? I always thought that was a wife's tale, like swearing by cold cream when in reality it was probably avoidance of the sun or genes that made someone look better than someone else in their old age.
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1. Eat a healthy diet - ample healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, and nutrients, minimal processed stuff and restaurant food/fast food. Drink lots of water. Get ample sleep. Keep stress levels down. Work up a sweat regularly. All of these things show up in your skin.
2. Wash your hair as little as you can get away with without getting super greasy. For me this is about once a week.
3. Figure out what colors and styles suit your skin tone and body. Also what hairstyles suit your face shape. This honestly will compensate for screwing up everything else more often than not.
4. Keep your nails trimmed and neat, and skip fancy polish jobs. Maybe some clear nail polish or buffing, but otherwise it looks just as good as the expensive one.
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I think faces and hands need washing more often because they are "out there in the open", so to speak. Plus it is important to get makeup off at night if you wear it.
I find the amount of moisturizer I need has changed with age (skin and scalp are dryer now, which means I also wash my hair less often) and weather. When it is hot and muggy out I do not need moisturizer. Winter (dry dry air) I need it more than usual. Go with how your skin feels. I used some fancy stuff for a while (gift from my sister) and my skin did not look or feel any different than when I used Lubriderm. I have found Paula Begoun's recommendations about products to be sensible.
Am I the only one who doesn't wash her face everyday? I only shower every other day, and I just wash my face with my bar soap in the shower. My skin looks fine.
I have, however, noticed that as I get older (I'm 37) that my facial skin craves more moisturizer. For this reason, I sometimes put some lubriderm (or whatever I bought in bulk at Costco) lotion on my face before bed. But I don't wash it then either. Do we modern individuals really get so dirty that we need to wash our face every night before bed?
Last question: is it really true that moisturizer will make you look younger as you age? I always thought that was a wife's tale, like swearing by cold cream when in reality it was probably avoidance of the sun or genes that made someone look better than someone else in their old age.
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Am I the only one who doesn't wash her face everyday? I only shower every other day, and I just wash my face with my bar soap in the shower. My skin looks fine.
I have, however, noticed that as I get older (I'm 37) that my facial skin craves more moisturizer. For this reason, I sometimes put some lubriderm (or whatever I bought in bulk at Costco) lotion on my face before bed. But I don't wash it then either. Do we modern individuals really get so dirty that we need to wash our face every night before bed?
Recently I lost my lip balm by my bed and in a fit of desperation used some of my lanolin nipple cream that I have for breastfeeding. Um, that works wonders on dry lips! I haven't had any problems since, and it is so thick that one tube would probably last you years.
Last question: is it really true that moisturizer will make you look younger as you age? I always thought that was a wife's tale, like swearing by cold cream when in reality it was probably avoidance of the sun or genes that made someone look better than someone else in their old age.
In my experience, moisturizer just helps make your skin feel better when it is dry, but it does not solve the dry problem. I spent most of my life with dry skin and really bad body-wide eczema, but it wasn't until I conquered that with diet and holistic medicine that the dryness went away. My skin is so much better now at 45 than when I was young. I looked older in my early 30s than I do now because I no longer have dry skin.
Whenever I slip up on my diet or something and get some dry patches on my face, my mom nags me to put cream on. But I know the only way to really solve it is through my other methods.
Trust me, I used to have to moisturize several times during the night because my skin was so itchy and dry, and these days I don't use moisturizer at all. I wouldn't have believed it years ago. I suffered over 30 years with very dry skin.
Your skin is a reflection of your interior health. Once dryness or rashes appear on your skin it's because it's your body's attempt to warn you that there is something wrong.
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My first post! Not sure this is a beauty hack as opposed to a cost saver - to remove body hair, I use an epilator. I've gone 25 years without buying a razor or shaving gel. I can go a week and a half before hair starts growing back in!
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Tell me more about this epilator.
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Tell me more about this epilator.
It's a device that physically pulls out hair at the root. It was painful the first few times I used it, but I quickly built up a tolerance level to the point where I just feel the tug of each hair, no pain. Seriously. I do my armpits too. I never see stubble, but I do get ingrown hairs every so often. The trick is not to wait too long til the next use. When you use it on very short hairs, they pull out easier.
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This sounds super time consuming. Do you do it in the shower? What about your legs? Are you less prone to ingrown hairs with it?
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I think I tried an epilator once and found it way too painful. You much have a high pain threshold!
In general, hair bothers me less than pain does, which means that I don't wax, get laser treatments, or other methods that hurt. Shaving is annoying, though.
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Could a guy use an epilator for his facial hair?
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1. Don't associate with people likely to judge you based on your appearance.
2. Don't give a fuck.
This is my favorite beauty hack.
I wear the same five or so shirts and three pairs of pants to work each week. Same pair of boots every day.
I bathe daily, but haven't shaved anything in a year and a half. And yes, I still wear shorts, skirts, and sleeveless shirts (but not at work!).
No make-up. Naturally radiant!
But hmm... I have used used coffee grounds as an exfoliant before. Then I dumped them outside to help the soil grow more lovely weeds.
Umm? Why would you waist money on coffee?
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I find my skin is a lot better with a good diet (lots of fats, especially saturated animal fats) but I still need moisturizer, just not as much. How much is diet and how much is age? Don't know. What I do know is that I now tan, instead of burning.I hardly use sun block at all now, and since there is no sunblock on my skin I know I am making lots of vitamin D for our long cold winters, when the sun is not strong enough for my skin to make any.
In my experience, moisturizer just helps make your skin feel better when it is dry, but it does not solve the dry problem. I spent most of my life with dry skin and really bad body-wide eczema, but it wasn't until I conquered that with diet and holistic medicine that the dryness went away. My skin is so much better now at 45 than when I was young. I looked older in my early 30s than I do now because I no longer have dry skin.
Whenever I slip up on my diet or something and get some dry patches on my face, my mom nags me to put cream on. But I know the only way to really solve it is through my other methods.
Trust me, I used to have to moisturize several times during the night because my skin was so itchy and dry, and these days I don't use moisturizer at all. I wouldn't have believed it years ago. I suffered over 30 years with very dry skin.
Your skin is a reflection of your interior health. Once dryness or rashes appear on your skin it's because it's your body's attempt to warn you that there is something wrong.
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Wow! Didn't think I'd generate so much interest on this!
This sounds super time consuming. Do you do it in the shower? What about your legs? Are you less prone to ingrown hairs with it?
I use it after I shower and towel-dry - can't use it in the shower since electronics and water don't mix. I feel it takes the same time as shaving. I save time at the front end because I don't have to apply anything on my legs/armpits beforehand. However, I do find I need to go over some areas more than once while using it because the hairs don't always catch onto it the first time. I think the trick to getting less ingrown hairs is to exfoliate the skin well the day before, physically or chemically. I say the day before because you need to give your skin time to soften up and let any irritations from exfoliation subside. That works for me.
I think I tried an epilator once and found it way too painful. You much have a high pain threshold!
I actually don't have a high pain threshold. The first time was very painful, but I stuck to it and the pain gradually went away.
I don't even think that it's a pain tolerance that I've built up because there is actually no pain now. I'm not exactly sure how this can be explained, except that the hairs do come out easier with less pulling and I have less hair growing in permanently than I did decades ago. (I think a good amount of hair follicles gave up in disgust at this constant weekly assault!) Actually, I should also note that I have fine to medium-textured body hair. Folks with thicker follicles may have a different experience.
Could a guy use an epilator for his facial hair?
I know there's an epilator designed for the face, but it's made for women's facial hair, which is obviously different than men's.
You will probably need to research whether the pulling action on those will be strong enough for whiskers, etc. My epilator, although a mini, can't be used on the face - it's still too large to get at all the places around the mouth.
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I've used an epilator in the past but didn't like it. It took longer than shaving and wasn't as effective as a razor in getting to hard to reach places. I tried it once on the underarm and - OMG - that was painful.
I've resorted to just using a razor and using soap to lather up before. No need for special products for lather. Also, I reuse the razor maybe for about 6 months. After every use, I blow on it to get all of the water off and let it dry. It hasn't rusted or anything. In actuality, it probably lasts more than 6 months.
It does help that I have thin hair and it's very light, so I can get by with fewer shavings. ;-)
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I find my skin is a lot better with a good diet (lots of fats, especially saturated animal fats) but I still need moisturizer, just not as much. How much is diet and how much is age? Don't know. What I do know is that I now tan, instead of burning.I hardly use sun block at all now, and since there is no sunblock on my skin I know I am making lots of vitamin D for our long cold winters, when the sun is not strong enough for my skin to make any.
In my experience, moisturizer just helps make your skin feel better when it is dry, but it does not solve the dry problem. I spent most of my life with dry skin and really bad body-wide eczema, but it wasn't until I conquered that with diet and holistic medicine that the dryness went away. My skin is so much better now at 45 than when I was young. I looked older in my early 30s than I do now because I no longer have dry skin.
Whenever I slip up on my diet or something and get some dry patches on my face, my mom nags me to put cream on. But I know the only way to really solve it is through my other methods.
Trust me, I used to have to moisturize several times during the night because my skin was so itchy and dry, and these days I don't use moisturizer at all. I wouldn't have believed it years ago. I suffered over 30 years with very dry skin.
Your skin is a reflection of your interior health. Once dryness or rashes appear on your skin it's because it's your body's attempt to warn you that there is something wrong.
Ha! Well I hope I can continue moisturizer-free until 63. (actually sounds like a good chant "moisterizer free at 63!")
It wasn't just my diet that helped me. At this point, my condition is mostly under control due to diet, but I had to go through the holistic routine about 10 years ago to get rid of the horrible eczema and dryness I had. It was so painful and hard to deal with, that's why I can gush about my skin now as I thought I'd have that for the rest of my life. I mention this to some people I see who have skin conditions and tell them what I did to get rid of it so I can help them, but they just look at me and say that I don't have skin issues so they end up ignoring me. I try to explain it, but it doesn't always work.
I also avoid sunscreen most of the time. I only use it if I will be outdoors all day and at the worst times of the day. Bike ride at 7am - in my mind there's no need to lather up with sunscreen because the sun is not that strong at that time and the Vitamin D absorption is great. And I prefer to use hats or long sleeves over using sunscreen. I just really tried to avoid anything with chemicals if I can avoid it. After my skin issues cleared up, I also mostly tan and don't burn. But I am very careful to not be out in the sun unprotected right smack in the middle of the day.
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I use Cetaphil face wash - It is not as expensive as the others, I can get a huge bottle that lasts me several months for $7
Coconut oil for everything! Moisturizer, deep conditioning treatment for my hair, lips, hands, feet
I make my own scrubs with coffee grounds (after my I brew a cup for myself), mix sugar, olive oil and scrub away.
Back when I was a spender I spent a lot of money on shoes and clothes, so I haven't had to buy anything new for a long time. However I've been eating cleaner and steadily losing weight which mean I'm going to have to buy some replacement work clothes (we are a business dress only firm). I'm going to try to sell my stuff on Ebay and use that money to replace my wardrobe.
My high heels I've had for years and will take them to the cobbler and have the heel bit replaced. I've even taken shoes there to have a platform and heel lowered. Since I've been going for so long, he doesn't charge me the normal price anymore.
I use cheap hair conditioner instead of shaving cream. A 99 cent bottle of Sauve goes a long way.
Learning how to sew is a great skill to have. My mother taught me when I was small, so I can take something old and change it to something new, tailor clothes (to a certain extent). There are several websites that show you how to take a size XL dress from Goodwill and tailor it to any size under XL.
I do wear makeup almost every day which I buy at Target. I also usually get no less than 3 Sephora gift cards a year from various friends and family members as gifts. At after Christmas sales I stock up on eyeshadow palettes and mini nail polishes. I typically get then for 60-80% off so I can get a years worth for less than $20.
I get a professional hair cut MAYBE once a year. I wear my hair long and trim it myself. I'll go to a pro to get the basic shape and layers then just maintain it myself. YouTube has been a huge help in teaching me how to trim my own hair, maintain layers, bangs, etc.
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There was a similar thread to this one that got me truly hooked on these forums. Lots of good stuff in here:
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/lady-staches/
From comments other women made there, I tried the oil cleansing method for a few months. I had to give that up because I was breaking out badly, but I have hormone issues that cause much of my acne, so I’ll bet I’m a special case. I don’t regret that experiment, though, since it introduced me to the idea of using oils as moisturizers for my face and the rest of my body. (Almond is my favorite).
I’m now experimenting with oils and butters to make exfoliating moisturizers and massage bars. This isn’t exactly frugal, since I did have to purchase the raw materials. Most of these DIY body products have the same ingredients, though, so I get to make lots of new and different products with the same few ingredients. Although I’m not really into makeup or many girly things, I really struggle with buying lots of body/face care products; I always want to try something new and different. Maybe BECAUSE I don’t use many products, I’m always looking for a better “all-in-one” solution. I’m really hoping making my own products helps me limit that. Plus, I get to unleash my inner chemist and obsessive note-taker. My family is all addicted to the Lush products now, so hopefully I’ll have some good replacements that I can give them for Christmas!
Also from advice I read here, I’ve started using an epilator. I’d been waxing for a while, but got fed up with getting wax all over my bathroom and needing to set aside a couple hours to do it. As a PP said, it really hurts the first time (or the first time after a long time of not doing it) but the subsequent sessions aren’t bad. It’s much easier than waxing, and the results are just as good. Before the first time, take a pain pill, soak and soften your legs first, and turn on some awesome sing-along songs so you’re distracting yourself. Then, just don’t let all the hairs grow in again before repeating the treatment!
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I have tried epilator and found it incredibly slow. much slower even than home waxing and a lot more painful to boot. I am seriously considering ipl for armpits. Total cost should be about $200 and compared to having to shave every day for the next 30 odd years it sounds like a bargain. I will keep doing to home wax for legs though as its pretty fast and simple.
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For face wash and body wash I use jojoba oil.
For shaving I use either jojoba oil or coconut oil.
For a body and face scrub I mix up the following:
Base:
Raw Sugar
Coconut Oil
Honey
Pure Vitamin E Oil
Add Ins (not all used at the same time):
Lemon Essential Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil
Coffee Grounds
Anything else you want for scent!
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"Shampoo" with baking soda/water combo.
Rinse with cider vinegar.
15 cent pair of shower gloves to scrub.
Wash & shave with avocado oil.
Occasional salt scrub - avocado oil with salt to exfoliate.
I also quit using commercial products on my baby. I wash her with avocado oil. Her skin is perfect.
1/2 witch hazel, 5 cups water, couple drops rosemary oil, and spray bottle for baby "wipes."
Once my skin was healed from all the drying/moisturizing hell of commercial products, I needed far less makeup. I use a mineral powder and some mascara for work. Appearances absolutely matter when it comes to earning potential. But weekends without that are really nice!
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Shampoo & conditioner, I get Trader Joe's brand which is not tested on animals and has more natural ingredients. It also tends to last me a long time. I've been cutting my own hair since finding this website and the layer cuts work fine for me. I'm growing it out now. I've also stopped coloring my hair since my natural color isn't bad, just a little dark.
I don't use moisturizers but I tend to do 4-6 week long cosmetic studies where I get free face moisturizers/gel/oil and then get paid $40 for using them for the month. Good deal there.
I don't use make up and never have. Maybe a little on special occasions.
I use a hat in lieu of sunscreen and since I'm usually in the city where it's colder, I'm usually wearing long sleeves/pants so I'm covered up and protected from the sun that way. On a very hot day when I'm wearing shorts or a skirt I might use sunscreen though. I am fond of hats and sunglasses. I have a wide-brimmed hat that looks like a bonnet.
I'm making my way through Costco soaps that I bought in bulk years and years ago. For my face I use a liquid face soap or plain water and a wash cloth. Once I'm through with the soaps I have, I'll probably replace them with natural soaps.
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I only wear makeup when I know I'm going to be photographed, i.e. at a wedding, formal event, work convention. Last time I put on makeup I thought to myself "this is a five dollar face!" - that stuff adds up.
I cut my own hair and don't color it, but if I start to see grays eventually (I'm only 30 now) I'll probably dye it myself at home, never done it before & think it'll be fun.
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I don't use moisturizers but I tend to do 4-6 week long cosmetic studies where I get free face moisturizers/gel/oil and then get paid $40 for using them for the month. Good deal there.
Tell us more about this!
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I don't use moisturizers but I tend to do 4-6 week long cosmetic studies where I get free face moisturizers/gel/oil and then get paid $40 for using them for the month. Good deal there.
Tell us more about this!
It's with Biometrix. Here is their website: http://biometrixinc.com/
I don't remember how or when I signed up, but sign up I did. Seems I received an email out of the blue from them asking if I wanted to do a face study for an oil moisturizer from out of their SF office. So I started doing studies with them. I've done 3 studies total and might be on my 4th tonight, I'll have to call about it. It's another moisturizer one. Typically they want women for the studies. I ride my bike after work to their office, pick up the product and the instructions, use it everyday and keep a journal, and a month later ride back with the used product and my journal and receive a $40 check. Pretty easy money and kinda fun too. One of the studies I did was for glittery eyeshadow. But I prefer the moisturizer ones. Because I'm a tomboy at heart.
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Here's my solution though:
Crea Clip. This thing is amazing. I've had it for a few year now. Works great for ladies who want to cut their daughter's hair or their own.. works best for us ladies who have longer hair.
I paid roughly $30 for the clip, used it a zillion times and every time I use it, I save myself $40 by not going to a hair dresser who usually screws my hair up.
How easy is it to use? I'm terrible with hair, so...
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1. Use baking soda in water instead of shampoo (there's some adjustment time and anyone interested should read about no-poo)
2. Use vinegar in water to condition hair and as smoothing spray
I am definitely going to give these two a try.
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- For every super exclusive overpriced cosmetic there's a drugstore version that works just as well.
Mostly true. My biggest make-up expense is my overpriced foundation which is the only one I've found that doesn't make my very fair skin look completely ridiculous. Fortunately, there are drugstore transparant powders!
Other than said foundation I'm very frugal reg beauty products.
- very long straight hair, cut approximately every 6-9 months (usually, hardly anybody notices) for around 25 EUR
- drugstore shampoo plus conditioner every 4-5 days (can't count the times I've been asked: how come your hair looks so healthy, what do you do? Answer: It's what you don't do. Do not color and do not shampoo daily and you'll be fine)
- "do" my own nails, usually without polish
- make-up: foundation and powder (see above) plus mascara. I'd love not to use it regularly but I need to given my occoupation (law firm)
- sunscreen is a necessity for me in summer. Fair skin and all.
- soap: usually bars from hotels where I or my SO stayed during business travel.
- hair removal: very simple razor blades/cardridges (not sure what the right term is), Gilette G II (no, I won't pay you double just for coloring the plastic pink)
alas! At last a person that shares my exact point of view on razors. Drives me crazy ppl cant figure this out.
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-I have a HUGE jar of coconut oil, I use it as a moisterizer, and to do the facial oil-cleansing method. Also works well in your hair as a once a week treatment.
-Cheap conditioner as shaving cream.
-Used to shop at sephora a lot (pre mmm) and have discovered that regarding makeup I only need: drugstore foundation for special ocasions, drugstore mascara (2 different types layered on...gives u huge lashes), bright blush and gel eyeliner.
I do prefer the bobbie brown gel eyeliners, they are pricey but they are of great quality and last forever.
Kindness and a smile give you that little extra "something something" ;)
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Here's my solution though:
Crea Clip. This thing is amazing. I've had it for a few year now. Works great for ladies who want to cut their daughter's hair or their own.. works best for us ladies who have longer hair.
I paid roughly $30 for the clip, used it a zillion times and every time I use it, I save myself $40 by not going to a hair dresser who usually screws my hair up.
How easy is it to use? I'm terrible with hair, so...
Bought the crea clip based on this rec - thanks! Makes my bangs look professionally trimmed. +1 internets for you!
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I did have most of my body hair--legs, bikini area, under arms--removed with a laser pre-MMM. This is one of those past decisions I have mixed feeling about. It was a lot of money, but man I love not having to worry about shaving anymore.
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I'm sure a lot of this has been covered, but:
-I make a scrub with sugar and olive or coconut oil, and use it on my arms and legs in the shower. Sometimes I grate up an orange peel to add, it smells really good!
-Instead of lip balm/Chapstick, I use rosebud salve. I bought a 0.8 ounce container for $6 at Sephora about 2 1/2 years ago, I use it pretty often, and it's still halfway full.
-If you ever feel the need to get beauty treatments done, check out your local cosmetology school or the cosmetology department at your local community college. I know mine offers hair cuts and coloring, waxing, manicures/pedicures, massages, facials, etc. An hour long massage is about half of normal price, waxing is like $3, manicures are $7, etc. I know it's probably not Mustachian to get these things done, but if you're going to, say, a wedding or something, it might not be a bad option.
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I'm a bit late to join the party but I felt like contributing some of my beauty hacks:
1. Drinking LOTS of water (great for skin and hair)
2. Exercising and staying in shape
3. Clay mudwash for cleansing hair (bentonite/rhassoul clay mixed with apple cider vinegar and aloe juice)
4. Make my own deep conditioners using a cheap conditioner and adding my fav oils to it
5. Exfoliate face with baking soda, tone with witchhazel, moisturize with coconut oil
6. Use whatever soap I have in the shower to shave... works perfectly fine for me
7. Use homemade whipped body butter as lotion (shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, essential oils)
8. I also use cheap drug store make-up (foundation, mascara, eyeliner etc costs about $100 per year)
9. Cut my own hair
10. Braid my own hair (I have afro texture hair and it's extremely expensive to get it braided at a salon. Thankfully, I have magic hands!)
Thanks for sharing all you tips! So much great info :-)
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I love the women of this forum! I've switched from getting my hair cut 3-4 times/year ($75+tip) to cutting my own hair. I've streamlined my make-up and skincare routines. While I still spend a significant amount on a some products, I use the entire product and don't have multiples. My morning prep routine has gone from 45 minutes to 15 minutes (includes shower and breakfast), so I can fit in a workout in the morning.
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How do people go 3-4 days without washing their hair? If I don't wash my hair daily, it gets uber oily and stringy. I've tried just rinsing it, but it gets so tangled if I don't use conditioner that I can't get a comb through it. And, if I only rinse it and add conditioner, it just gets even more oily. My hair is really healthy despite daily washing; however, I'd love to find a way to cut back, even if it's just to every other day. Suggestions?
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Skip a day on a stay home day. Do that whenever you can. You'll have a few bad hair days, but eventually your hair WILL stop overproducing oil. It took me a few years to go from daily to once or twice a week. I sometimes use a dry shampoo, which is nice for occasional use.
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1. Buy shampoo/conditioner in large bottles, which Kiss My Face does automatically.
2. Since I have short, curly hair, I don't use much product. One Kiss My Face bottle might last me 6-8 months, and my mousse has lasted me even longer. I also don't shampoo everyday.
3. It gets real cold in the winter, so I just basically don't shave anything from October-March. Yay natural insulation!
4. My make-up bag basically consists of BB cream, lip balm, and a bit of lip tint for fancy days. Also, a really good pair of tweezers. It's tiny and I love it.
5. A great, reasonable tailor (no space or talent for sewing, yet) and cobbler within walking distance from my apartment. My $99 winter boots have lasted me three Chicago winters because of my awesome cobbler (I wear them basically every day from October-March).
6. A general distaste for shopping.
7. A mother who gets those stupid Clinique free gifts every time they come out because, hey! free! (except you have to spend however much to get one) and then just gives me that awesome moisturizer that comes in the kit (because she usually buys a fancier one to get the free gift). I haven't paid for moisturizer in YEARS...
8. A sister who wears the same size as me and whose closet is twice as big. I came home with three new dress shirts when she cleaned out her closet over Christmas. One still had a tag on it... *yeesh* If I bought new and trendy things, she would raid my closet, but since a significant chunk of it is her hand-me-downs...'
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-Get my hair cut once a year (using birthday money), and cut my own bangs in the interim
-Wash my hair every other day (it's dry)
-Use coupons for everything including Maybelline, Neutrogena, Pantene, and Caress
-Use store brand facial wipes in the multi-pack to wipe off make-up
-Drink plenty of water, take vitamins, get plenty of sleep
-Laugh often, smile as much as possible
-Covet freebie samples
-Wash clothes with Woolite in the gentle cycle, hang a lot of it to air dry
-Ask for clothing gift cards for Christmas/BD (the only time I clothes shop)
-I don't wear makeup on weekends
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- wash my hair (thick, straight, shoulder length) with baking soda; vinegar rinse
- make my own toothpaste (the little plastic balls in toothpaste were the last straw!)
- make my own mouth wash
I have had acne since the age of 14 and I will still break out and get blackheads now (age 56) so my skin has always been a problem. I have been doing a Paleo type diet the past 2 years and have found it helps my skin a lot. Pre MMM days I bought myself a facial package at a salon where they were pushing very expensive products. I found that Alpha hydrox brand products (http://www.neotericcosmetics.com/alpha-hydrox/products.html) performed just as well at a much lower cost. I have been using their products for several years now. They have regular buy 2 get one free sales. As a person with problematic skin all her life I would recommend the use of alpha hydroxy acids along with sun block. It will keep your skin free of wrinkles and brown spots. Be sure to do your neck and decollete, the back of your hands and your wrists. Speaking from experience here. The other great thing you can do for your skin is to maintain a constant weight rather than yo-yoing (speaking from experience again).
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My grandma always used to tell me that youth, health and simplicity were the best beauty tips, so I keep in good shape, always wear sunscreen on my face, chest and arms, big floppy hat outside, and aim for simple, minimal makeup, simple classic colours, no trendy clothes, very little jewellery.
Keeping eyebrows nicely shaped, nails clean and hair clean and neat is easy to do and really improves your overall look
I use the cheapest possible shampoo that works, am lucky to have nice hair (except for the absurdly long greys that pop up occasionally!) I wear it long and haven't had it cut professionally for more than a decade.
Learned how to use liquid liner properly (so I didn't look like a pirate/hooker), and now it lasts me ages - I buy really cheap stuff from BigW (like Walmart) for $2 and it lasts me months.
Buy my other beauty products (foundation $9, mascara $4, lipstick $4) from a cheap teenage-y type shop (always the same colours - it suits me) while I can still get away with it!
Most important, a positive attitude and a smile :)
“If a person has ugly thoughts, it begins to show on the face. And when that person has ugly thoughts every day, every week, every year, the face gets uglier and uglier until you can hardly bear to look at it.
A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” Roald Dahl
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-Get my hair cut once a year (using birthday money), and cut my own bangs in the interim
-Wash my hair every other day (it's dry)
-Use coupons for everything including Maybelline, Neutrogena, Pantene, and Caress
-Use store brand facial wipes in the multi-pack to wipe off make-up
-Drink plenty of water, take vitamins, get plenty of sleep
-Laugh often, smile as much as possible
-Covet freebie samples
-Wash clothes with Woolite in the gentle cycle, hang a lot of it to air dry
-Ask for clothing gift cards for Christmas/BD (the only time I clothes shop)
-I don't wear makeup on weekends
Oh yeah, I also try to stay pretty up to date on freebies. It's not always super fruitful, but I know health and beauty companies give out free samples pretty often. I have a bunch of nice high-quality samples of shampoo, conditioner, face wash, etc. plus free tampons and such. I ended up donating a bunch of them to a women's shelter with some hotel toiletries to tame my stockpile though.
A couple other things....
When I was younger, I would put lemon juice in a spray bottle, dilute it with a little water, spray it on my hair, and lay out in the sun for an hour or two to lighten it. Probably not the best season for that right now, lol, but I got pretty good results. My hair is a light brown and it turned nearly blond, not sure how it would be for darker hair though.
To whiten your teeth, add a little bit of baking soda to your toothpaste while brushing your teeth, do it once a day for a couple weeks. Apparently rubbing banana peels on them is supposed to help too.
Lush gives out samples of their product in stores. You don't necessarily have to buy anything, just say that you're interested in trying xyz product. In my case, I just mentioned to a saleswoman that I was curious about trying one of those deodorant bars and she gave me a pretty decent sized sample to take home. (I didn't even know about the policy at the time, lol.) Of course, have some manners and don't go in demanding to try everything in the store, or constantly ask for samples without ever making a purchase. :P
While we're on the subject, Sephora gives out free makeup for your birthday (usually a couple small-sized things, but always nice).
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I don't use moisturisers or face wash. I wash my face with warm water and that seems to do the trick. I do wear make up but just a small amount with a suncream base and I don't have any problems removing it with water. I actually find that washing my face with soap or detergent makes my skin worse.
When it comes to my hair I dye it myself using Henna. Unfortunately I got a lot of grey hairs early and vanity has got me with this one. $20 does my long hair 3x and I find that as it fades it blends into my roots which allows me to go a few months before it bothers me. Red seems to suit me and people seem genuinely shocked to learn it is fake and even more so to learn it is a diy home job.
Hair cuts are something else entirely. I've paid for 1 in the past 6 years. I get it chopped off pretty short and then let grow out for a few years and then repeat. Because I don't blow dry or straighten it I find that the ends don't get too icky and the Henna seems to improve the condition of it too.
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While we're on the subject, Sephora gives out free makeup for your birthday (usually a couple small-sized things, but always nice).
Thanks for this tip! I have a birthday coming up, and I just registered thanks to you.
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How do people go 3-4 days without washing their hair? If I don't wash my hair daily, it gets uber oily and stringy. I've tried just rinsing it, but it gets so tangled if I don't use conditioner that I can't get a comb through it. And, if I only rinse it and add conditioner, it just gets even more oily. My hair is really healthy despite daily washing; however, I'd love to find a way to cut back, even if it's just to every other day. Suggestions?
I *really* scrub my scalp with shampoo for at least a minute. I coat my hair below my ears with conditioner and let it set for a few minutes. When my scalp is oily on a nonwash day, I use corn starch on my hairline (rub it in really well).
Getting to the every third day wash schedule happened slowly (and possibly as I've aged). I still use regular shampoo and conditioner. I tried the no-poo routine and hated it.
I've been cutting my hair shorter as I get older. I've found that I can go more days without shampooing with short hair than long hair. I'm due for a haircut and can't stand the oily hair after just one day of not shampooing! What is it with long hair...
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My hair is long (bottom of shoulder blades) and I only wash every third/fourth day. When I was young they could have run an oil well off my scalp. I find it is a function of age and diet. I also went low carb a few years ago and found it made a difference, and now I am low carb/no grain it is even less oily - but I am also older.
Brushes and how much brushing you do also makes a difference - my scalp and hair were healthier way back when, when I used a boar bristle brush, but they are almost non-existent now.
I've been cutting my hair shorter as I get older. I've found that I can go more days without shampooing with short hair than long hair. I'm due for a haircut and can't stand the oily hair after just one day of not shampooing! What is it with long hair...
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I have been brushing my teeth with baking soda for about a year now. Love it. I also rinse with a bit of diluted hydrogen peroxide--I was hoping this would whiten my teeth. Maybe it has worked a bit, but not as much as I would like.
I also just recently switched to using baking soda and apple cider vinegar for my hair. I plan to never use shampoo or conditioner again.
I also have been cutting my own hair for almost three years.
I don't use any make up. Never have.
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My hair is long (bottom of shoulder blades) and I only wash every third/fourth day. When I was young they could have run an oil well off my scalp. I find it is a function of age and diet. I also went low carb a few years ago and found it made a difference, and now I am low carb/no grain it is even less oily - but I am also older.
Brushes and how much brushing you do also makes a difference - my scalp and hair were healthier way back when, when I used a boar bristle brush, but they are almost non-existent now.
I've been cutting my hair shorter as I get older. I've found that I can go more days without shampooing with short hair than long hair. I'm due for a haircut and can't stand the oily hair after just one day of not shampooing! What is it with long hair...
My relatively new low-maintenance hairstyle means I NEVER brush my hair. You heard that right. I've got naturally wavy hair and have a hairstyle that just requires me to wash, comb, and let it air-dry. I run my fingers through my wet hair as it's drying to get "the wave" to settle right. I love this low-maintenance hairstyle.
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Hair-- I shampoo every other day (semi-long, very fine and thin hair) as I haven't been able to make no-poo work for me. Instead of conditioner, I use a couple drops of oil, finger comb it through the length of hair (not letting it get anywhere near my scalp) and rinse out with hot water. I try to shampoo only my scalp and not the length of my hair to avoid needing to use it at all.
I cut it myself. You can do a slight taper by parting your hair exactly down the middle, from your forehead to neck, and pull the two parts forward under your chin (like bonnet strings) and cutting it straight across. For taper+layers, bend your head down (the more you bend, the deeper the layers) and part only the back of your head, not the top, so that it pulls straight over your face into a pony tail. It's best done damp so that you can cut it evenly with no awkward bits, and I use a fine tooth comb so that everything lays straight and flat. I don't know whether this is the ideal haircut for curly girls. My hair is straight with minimal body, and this really helps lighten it up some. Bangs, you want to pull it to a point in the middle of your face instead of cutting straight across your forehead (so that it's slightly longer on the sides than the middle) to get a more modern look.
On the rare occasions that I have dandruff, I massage oil all over my scalp, let it soak in overnight, and wash it all out in the morning, massaging thoroughly to get all the dead skin. The oil loosens it up with leaving scratchy bleeding spots behind like when I would just try to scrape it off dry. >_< This is also awesome for cradle cap on babies.
I avoid makeup because my skin is sensitive, so I only need to wash with warm water, no soap. I moisturize with a one part tallow, one part coconut oil balm that has a teensy bit of peppermint and tea tree oil in it. The tallow is amazing. My skin looks so much smoother and happier when I remember to do this. It also stretches out the amount of time I can spend in the sun before I need to either move to the shade or apply sunscreen to avoid burning. It also works better than lotions, which are often water or alcohol based.
Plain coconut oil is the best lip balm I've ever tried. (commercial stuff dries my lips out, tallow tastes yucky, beeswax is oddly sticky.)
Every now and then I brush my teeth with a dab of coconut oil. It makes them whiter and glossier.
I also make my own deodorant. It's half solid fats (like tallow, or anything that won't melt at room temperature) and half baking soda. I like to add some lemon oil for a pleasant scent.
I also appreciate what others have said about diet, exercise, etc. It helps with good colour and feeling good because you're actually healthy beats feeling good because you're hiding behind a fake face.
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I do some of these things (cutting my own hair, only washing it twice a week) but when it comes to makeup I don't use the really cheapo or made in china stuff like elf or wet n wild. I'll use some drugstore brands especially for things like mascara and eye liner and I actually prefer burt's bees pomegranate chapstick to any lipstick/gloss I've ever tried but... I used to get most of my makeup at Sephora and I've been saving them for "special" occasions. I recently had a reason to pull out my Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer and woah, I was quite shocked at how well it went on and looked. I feel like when it comes to "girly" products people can be a little unfair and quick to judge, but sometimes more expensive products do actually do a better job, it is just a matter of figuring out when its worth it and when it isn't.
I'm also really curious about specific foods people are eating or avoiding because I've changed my diet within the last year to include a lot more healthy fats and reduced sugar and some highly inflammatory foods and while my skin on the rest of my body seems much better moisturized, my face is still dry as can be!
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I'm also really curious about specific foods people are eating or avoiding because I've changed my diet within the last year to include a lot more healthy fats and reduced sugar and some highly inflammatory foods and while my skin on the rest of my body seems much better moisturized, my face is still dry as can be!
You know, my face does a lot better during the summer than the winter despite minimal diet changes, so I've always assumed there's the element of needing more Vit. D. I dunno, though.
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I'm also really curious about specific foods people are eating or avoiding because I've changed my diet within the last year to include a lot more healthy fats and reduced sugar and some highly inflammatory foods and while my skin on the rest of my body seems much better moisturized, my face is still dry as can be!
You know, my face does a lot better during the summer than the winter despite minimal diet changes, so I've always assumed there's the element of needing more Vit. D. I dunno, though.
I think everyone's body is different, so it's hard to say what kinds of foods to avoid. The best thing is to avoid processed foods almost completely and stick with the kinds of "living" foods that would go bad after a while if not eaten. Those kinds of foods have the living and active natural chemicals and processes that keep life going on, so they've got to be good for you.
Also, I saw a Sanjay Gupta episode once where he interviewed a nutritionist that advocated eating all types of peels as the peels have a lot of nutrition that keep the fruit or vegetable itself "looking" young and keeping them fresh. Obviously some are a no-no such as pineapple - but who knows maybe you can make a tea from that??? Just do an online search for all kinds of things like that.
Other than that, the holistic practitioners I frequent usually, and almost unanimously, ban dairy foods. I do eat some yogurt and put a little half-and-half in milk. But when my eczema was all flared up, I totally removed dairy from my diet. Also, with my eczema, she told me certain things that are good for others weren't good for me - such as oranges and tomatoes because of their high acidity. You'd have to ask an expert for your particular condition. True enough, I took oranges out of my diet and it helped a lot. Now that my eczema is clear for over 10 years, I can eat some oranges here and there and it doesn't affect me.
I used to love getting a Big Mac at McDs every now and then when I was younger - don't ask me why as they are disgusting. Once after many years of clear skin without eczema, I had a small craving for a Big Mac. After eating it, I had some dry patches on my face, reminiscent of my old flared up days. It wasn't too bad, but it cleared away after a few days. I just know there is so much crap in these processed foods that can really mess up your system, especially if you've conquered your ills and are healthy. You notice the skin flareups more when you are clear and they come back as opposed to already having issues and then eating poorly and a new little dry patch is just part of your general problem.
Another thing is to eat/drink a lot of greens. Greens are great for cleansing your body and removing the toxins that lead to bad skin. I notice when I travel and don't have access to my wonderful homemade salads, that I don't feel as well. I long to make it back home and eat my varied greens. You can eat them in salads and all kinds of smoothies. If in a smoothie, I suggest adding apple or some other "sweet" thing to give the smoothie good taste.
I used to have to sleep with a tub of moisturizing cream by my bed and reapply throughout the night when my skin was really bad, and now I don't even use moisturizing cream. If someone had told me in the past that my skin would recover to this point, I would not have believed them. BTW, I am in my mid-40s and always had these issues of dry skin until I cleared it up through diet and my holistic care.
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Daisy, I'm curious about the holistic practitioners you've visited. How exactly would I find such a person?Derms? Medspas? Facialists?
I've struggled with eczema flare ups off and on for more than 20 years. It has certainly improved as I've gotten older, but I've recently begun to explore the role of diet and my skin. Also, I have a friend in her late 40's who just developed eczema for the first time. Her derm has her slathering cream, but I know there has to be more to it.
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I've struggled with eczema flare ups off and on for more than 20 years. It has certainly improved as I've gotten older, but I've recently begun to explore the role of diet and my skin. Also, I have a friend in her late 40's who just developed eczema for the first time. Her derm has her slathering cream, but I know there has to be more to it.
My son has dealt with really horrible eczema since birth, almost. Really bad cracking, bleeding, seeping, etc. I tried all the creams and they helped with the cracking and bleeding but didn't actually make it go away. In his case, I had to remove all dairy and gluten from his diet (and mine while I was nursing) before it actually healed up. He has some mild flareups during the winter, I think from dry skin+clothes friction, but aside from those instances I don't have to be smearing stuff on him anymore as long as he keeps to his diet.
Of course, the root cause may vary for different people. I did a lot of reading about eczema when I was trying to figure out what was going on with my son, and it could be anything from a cellular condition, to the water you bathe in, to any random food that you eat (eliciting a histamine reaction, i.e. the eczema). Everything that touches your body or goes in your body is suspect. Most people that I talked to were convinced that it must be laundry soap or something like that in my son's case, since that's common for babies, but the placement and timing of the rash didn't match up to that guess. Bunches of people said to put coconut oil on it to make it go away, but then I noticed that he broke out in more rashes when I used coconut oil, and he still reacts to external use of coconut oil (eating it in things doesn't seem to bother him).
Plain tallow was the best cream ever for soothing the rash, but it addressed the symptom and not the cause so of course it didn't actually fix the problem.
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Daisy, I'm curious about the holistic practitioners you've visited. How exactly would I find such a person?Derms? Medspas? Facialists?
I've struggled with eczema flare ups off and on for more than 20 years. It has certainly improved as I've gotten older, but I've recently begun to explore the role of diet and my skin. Also, I have a friend in her late 40's who just developed eczema for the first time. Her derm has her slathering cream, but I know there has to be more to it.
I spent quite a bit of my life until my mid-30s at the dermatologists' offices. I tried all the different dermatologists when I got recommendations from others. "The best doctor! Go the the local university hospital and get the latest technology!" I even went to the local Cleveland Clinic to get "the latest" thoughts on my condition. They all came back with the same spiel pretty much..."We don't know what causes it and, here, use this brand new formulated version of expensive cortisone cream. We're sure it will work for you." I even got injected with cortisone. It gave temporarily relief from the itching sometimes, but never cleared up my skin. And I had it all over, including my scalp and face which are areas in which you can't use cortisone cream.
I was resigned to the fact that this was going to be with me my whole life and no one could help me.
Until a co-worker suggested I go see a homeopath that his son's pediatrician had recommended and had cleared up his childhood eczema. I had no high hopes or expectations as all else had failed. But it was worth a try, even though not covered by insurance. In the long run it was much cheaper than going through the insurance-approved treatments because I barely use anything for it now, and the added bonus that it actually solved my problem.
I posted elsewhere on this forum how this helped me. Some people doubted me saying it was all a placebo or something, though it wasn't as I had tried almost everything to help my condition. Homeopathy is used in Europe and India a lot as well. My Indian coworkers say it is very popular back home.
She suggested a few dietary things in addition to the homeopathic treatment of sulphur she gave me. That treatment pretty much transformed my skin over the course of 8 months or so until I became the "new" me. The treatment removed my itch almost from the start, but a lot of oozing and skin rebuilding had to happen in the meantime until my healthy skin reappeared.
I'm not sure about other health conditions, but for chronic things that "regular" medicine just can't seem to help certain people on, I think it's worth trying to see someone who looks at the body as a whole, a person's diet, and can heal them "from the inside". I found as a result of all of this that my bad skin was my body's way of warning me that something was going on wrong on the inside, and a lot of it was digestive in nature.
I might sound kind of new-agey, but I don't care. :-)
All sorts of things fixed themselves when I got rid of my eczema. I used to get sick all of the time, probably because of a weakened immune system, but rarely get sick now. I used to be tired a lot, as my body was taxed to the limit battling the eczema. It's not like it's a cure in that I will always have a tendency to break out into eczema if I don't control my diet or other environmental things. For the past ten years though, I've had it 100% under control, have naturally moisturized skin, and people don't believe me when I tell them of my past issues (as when I try to suggest this path to someone I see suffering with this).
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to the water you bathe in
Yes!
I had a mini flare-up a few years ago and even my homeopath couldn't help me. After telling her I went to Europe for two weeks and cleared up a little and then came back home and it came back, I told her it probably wasn't just my diet. I then happened to mention that when I take a shower the water was smelling funny.
Turns out my flare up (in hindsight) timed just perfectly with the installation of the new water system in my town. I don't know what it was, but the water was starting to have a strong odor. My guess is that they were adding extra chemicals in the water to kill any bacteria and stuff since they spent like 2 years dredging up all of the old pipes and installing the new system. It was probably needed to keep the water clean, but it really messed with me. My neighbor said her visiting son also noticed the funny smelling water.
Well, she suggested installing a water softener, which wasn't cheap, and it magically removed my skin issues. But the water system we had before never caused these issues so I'm guessing it was a new thing being added to the water.
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I spend maybe $20 per year on hair products, and these days I try to buy them from the Reject Shop - same brands as the supermarkets sell, but cheaper. So I spend about $10 on shampoo and conditioner (and I mix it up a bit with bicarb or vinegar), and maybe another $10 on mousse and hairspray for when I don't want to tie my hair up in a pony tail, and don't want the frizz you get when your hair is wavy/curly.
Where I live, sunscreen is an essential, not a beauty thing (Australia's UV is brutal, particularly in summer). Recently discovered the spray on 50+ stuff which seems to work well in being able to be outside, not get burnt and not look like a white ghost from the zinc or titanium oxide. We probably spend $20-$30 per year on sunscreens as most of them give me rashes, and DH is more likely to use the easier to apply ones than el cheapo ones.
I've never dyed my hair in my entire life and have no plans to start doing so. I cut my own hair with a bit of help from DH to make sure it's semi-straight. DH uses clippers on his own hair.
I have a small collection of moisturisers, all gifts. Again, in winter where I live, it's a necessity as the cold dry air can cause skin on knuckles to crack and bleed. Yuk. I love winter but not that aspect of it.
I have a small stash of makeup that I occasionally wear. If I need to replace any of it, I either buy on super special or use points on DH's credit card to pay for it. I also have a stash of nail polish that will take me forever to get through.
I like to tie my hair up with hair elastics. The Salvos (an op shop) sell them for about $3 for 100, which lasts me several years (they all eventually stretch and break, regardless of what brand, or I lose them).
I use disposable razors for underarm and leg hair. One razor usually lasts me 6+ months and I buy a bag of cheap ones every 4 or 5 years. I use el cheapo conditioner (that DH uses for himself) from Aldi as shaving cream for my legs, and cheap Palmolive soap (sometimes it's on special at the chemist or Reject Shop for $3 or $4 for pack of 4) for underarms.
I wash my face with water only, but I do always have a stash of facial wipes for the rare occasion I wear makeup or if I've worn sunscreen that day but not showering in the evening. I buy those on special (maybe $2 for a pack of 25 that lasts me 6+months). I have a tube of facial exfoliant that I use occasionally. No idea how much it cost cos I bought it at least 3 or 4 years ago, but it would have been less than $10.
I don't shower every day. Mostly because of laziness. If the weather is hot and sticky, then I'm more likely to shower daily during a heatwave, but otherwise, I probably shower 3-4 times per week. DH used to shower every single morning, but I've corrupted him too and now he showers maybe 5-6 times a week, less if we're on holidays at home.
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Update: I've been trying the coconut oil as makeup remover trick and it's working fantastically well!
Well, I only use eyebrow pencil, mascara and lipstick, though. No foundation, blush, or eye shadow.
I wash my face with soap and water, dry it with a towel, then use a bit of cotton dabbed with coconut oil to get rid of the leftover makeup (mostly stubborn bits of mascara). After wiping off the makeup residue, a bit of oil is left on my skin, which makes for an excellent moisturizer. A little goes a long way - I estimate my 250ml bottle of cheapo extra virgin coconut oil (really really cheap because of where I live) will last me about a year.
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I have had really long hair for most of my life and was always trying new conditioners, treatments, etc for my dry/split ends. One night (has to be 5 years ago now) I couldn't sleep, ended up watching infomercials and saw a commercial for Wen which is advertised as cleansing conditioner. If you haven't heard of it, let's just say I was not about to start paying $30 a bottle for a month's supply. I googled reviews for Wen and stumbled across women who have been conditioner washing their hair for years! I decided to try it out with a bottle of Suave Natural (my hair likes strawberry the best) since they are $1.50/family size bottle. I took enough conditioner to fill my entire hand and ran it from scalp to ends, I work the scalp just like when I use regular shampoo, then I twist the hair up into a bun and continue the rest of my shower. The first time I rinsed out my hair I couldn't believe how soft it was and has been hooked every since. Now, a lot of the ladies that I followed this advice from will only co-wash, but as I used to shampoo everyday I just alternate regular shampoo/condition and co-washing. When I used to go to the salon, the stylist would never believe that it had been 6-8 months since my last trim since I had so few splits. I also notice less hair in the drain. The $1.50 bottle will usually last me a month.
It's been over year since my last salon visit, I just watched youtube video on how to cut layers in my hair, and wil probably invest in a creaclip.
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Awesome tricks in here.
I recently cut my hair shorter, and more recently (3 days ago) got my girlfriend to start cutting my hair. I used to shampoo and condition every day, but it's so short now I don't need to at all. I still do sometimes out of habit when I'm half awake in the morning, but that habit is slowly slipping away. I'm looking forward to trying the ideas listed on this thread.
I've never really worn makeup, but have some that was gifted to me for special occasions, and I mostly just use water for washing my face. I do have some spendypants stuff that a friend convinced me to buy, but I use it once a month at most. It will last a long time. I should probably use moisturizer more often.
I also started using an epilator about a year ago. I had been waxing my arms because I have such thick dark hair, but the epilator works just as well and saves me a lot of time and money. This weekend I tested it on part of my bikini line to see if I would have any negative reactions. So far, since the red spots faded after an hour or two, nothing. Not brave enough to try armpits yet, but maybe some day. I do love how much longer it takes everything to grow back, and how it seems to grow back lighter.
I have so many other products I got for free or bought ages ago that I want to use up before I start trying out different methods, but I'm excited to see how they work.
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I also started using an epilator about a year ago. I had been waxing my arms because I have such thick dark hair, but the epilator works just as well and saves me a lot of time and money. This weekend I tested it on part of my bikini line to see if I would have any negative reactions. So far, since the red spots faded after an hour or two, nothing. Not brave enough to try armpits yet, but maybe some day. I do love how much longer it takes everything to grow back, and how it seems to grow back lighter.
Have used enough epilators to start shivering in fear when I think about them. You are tougher than I :)
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Nice thread!
- Sometimes I wash my hair with chickpea flour, but it's more recommendable for oily hair.
- Vinegar in the rinse for me too, love it!
- I scrub with olive oil and salt, leaves a wonderfun skin.
- As a face moisturized I use either pure jojoba oil or vitamine A capsules (pierced and slathered on face), they're absolutely wonderful for me (normal skin)
- I use lanoline for my lips, but only as a heavy-duty repair, because works really well but stinks terribly for my DH
- I used to use eggyolk as shampoo, but I have very long hair and I need at least 3, so it gets expensive. I still do it while travelling, so I don't need to bring shampoo with me
- egg white makes beautiful face masks
- almond oil after epilating/waxing, leaves a smooth skin and it melts away the leftover wax
Also, not a beauty tip, but we use coconut butter as lubricant and it works much better of anything else we ever used.
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I forgot: I drench my hair in avocado oil when I go swimming. It takes lots of shampoo to wash it off, but still much better that drenching my hair in chlorine...
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Exercise. Stay hydrated. Get sleep. Go easy on the makeup. Laugh and smile a lot.
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Also, not a beauty tip, but we use coconut butter as lubricant and it works much better of anything else we ever used.
Well, since someone else has already ventured into TMI territory, I'll second this recommendation.
No need to thank us.
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A few hacks I haven't seen on this thread...
Egg yolk facials. Separate an egg and beat the yolk with a fork. Put it on your face for 10-15 minutes and wipe off with warm water. Helps tighten skin and shrink pores.
Norwex body cloths- I use mine instead of body soap and face wash.
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Hmm, I don't feel like my routine is "hacking" in any way, but it's very different from the standard I guess.
Showering: I use Pantene and basic bar soap. I tried no-poo for 6 months but never got out of the "adjustment" period. I may try again since my hair is now much drier than it used to be. Bar soap only goes Under arms. Yay dry skin! I don't shower every day, only when I work out or smell. And yes, I know when I smell. :)
Makeup: I have MAC products. More costly but I don't use much so they last for ages. In the morning I put on (1) powder foundation with some aloe vera mixed in and (2) eyebrow pencil. At the end of the day, I run coconut oil all over my face, let it sit for awhile, then rub my face with a hot washcloth.
Things I've tried that haven't worked:
No-poo. I never adjusted
Dr. Bronners as shampoo: left a weird film on my hair
I'm going to try cutting my own hair some time soon. I'm absolutely terrified I'm going to mess it up, but whatever. Hair grows. And if it's truly bad, I'll pay a professional after the fact to fix it.
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Things I've tried that haven't worked:
Dr. Bronners as shampoo: left a weird film on my hair
My DH uses it as a all-in-one shower product, and works well for him. Then again, he's blessed with the most beautiful full head of hair I've even seen, so he's probably just born with it.
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I'm going to try cutting my own hair some time soon. I'm absolutely terrified I'm going to mess it up, but whatever. Hair grows. And if it's truly bad, I'll pay a professional after the fact to fix it.
I've been psyching myself up for this and I'm trying it TONIGHT! So, so nervous about it, but I have long hair that I usually wear up anyway, so I can always hide it if it is really awful :)
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- Posture! I have been doing physical therapy lately for a back issue, and my PT told me that I stand wrong. Now that I have learned how to stand right, I look super hot. It is shocking.
OMG, this! Back straight, shoulders back, head up, eye contact, big smile - you've just made yourself sexier than 90% of the people in the room. Add genuine interest in others and good manners and zam! Straight up the charts!
Also -a bra that fits properly. I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and had to get refitted for a bra. The next day I had friends and coworkers ask if I'd lost even more weight. It turns out that good foundational undergarments last a long time and make everything else look amazing.
My other lessons learned:
1. Sappo hill soap for face and body (I have ultra-sensitive acne prone skin and finally figured out that this is what I need. It's also inexpensive)
2. Enough sleep, water, and daily exercise
3. A good diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables
4. Clothes that suit your body, lifestyle and personality.
5. Clothes that are clean, pressed, and fit properly.
6. Good grooming ( good personal hygiene, clean nails, brushed hair, etc.)
7. Fresh razor blades really do make a difference!
8. Daily sunscreen. I like Mario Badescu SPF 30. It's expensive but it's the only sunscreen I've ever used on my face that didn't sting like hell and/or give me a nasty rash.
For moisturizers, my husband uses jojoba oil as aftershave ( three drops takes care of his whole face) and I'm currently in love with Trader joe's body balm for dry patches on my feet. It's solid and mostly Shea butter, and comes in a circular tin. Totally awesome stuff.
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I'm going to try cutting my own hair some time soon. I'm absolutely terrified I'm going to mess it up, but whatever. Hair grows. And if it's truly bad, I'll pay a professional after the fact to fix it.
I've been psyching myself up for this and I'm trying it TONIGHT! So, so nervous about it, but I have long hair that I usually wear up anyway, so I can always hide it if it is really awful :)
How'd it go MissStache? I've been cutting my own hair for more than a year now (ponytail method) and I like the way it looks and find it to be pretty easy.
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Daily consumption of a vegetable (mainly carrots) and fruit smoothie (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26186449) containing beta carotene gives your facial skin an orange/yellowish glow, which is percieved as healthy and attractive (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090513810001169).
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Born this way.
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1.Let your toe nails grow until they start curling.
2.Guide them so they start curling inward.
3.Save on pedicures!
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Hair: Like others here, I do the baking soda-in-water instead of shampoo, with a vinegar rinse. I follow that with organic conditioner on the ends, or sometimes with almond oil. I don't dye my hair and have few white hairs. I'm hoping that it will all turn silver eventually. For DD6, I use a few drops of almond oil rubbed in my hands and onto her hair about once a week.
The no-poo method took a few tries for me. I finally got it after going a week or so without washing my hair at all, then used the baking soda/water and then diluted vinegar rinse. My hair finally felt clean and soft. It had been getting very very dry, and very tangly, so that my hands would get stuck in it if I tried to run my hand through my hair. Co-washing alone didn't help. Neither did fancy expensive products suggested by friends (I'm looking at you, Kerastase bottle). So now, it's been about a month and a half, and I used a drop of shampoo on the crown of my head one time in that month. Otherwise, baking soda/water and vinegar, plus maybe conditioner. I LOVE my hair again.
DH cuts my hair, and his hair and our kids' hair. He's good with sharp instruments. Plus I hate making appointments and my favorite hairdresser is never ready for drop-ins.
Face:
I drink a LOT of water and I smile often. Also, I use Oil of Olay with sunscreen daily.
Makeup: I use a Revlon BB cream about half the week (workdays), but I use very little and this tube has lasted more than a year and is still going. I use eyeliner and brow liner, both of which last forever. Honestly, the brow liner is 11 years old. I sometimes use shadow--maybelline. I use an eyelash curler, which does get a new cushion about once a year (or I buy a new one). And lipliner and/or lipstick, which I replace maybe every 2-3 years. I like to look professional at work.
Cleanser: At night only on days I wear the BB cream, I use a drop of an Oil of Olay sensitive face wash, and the bottle lasts for a long long long time. I want to say 3-5 years. I use a good washcloth in the shower on days I shower to exfoliate.
Body:
No soap except for underarms and pelvic area. Cheap conditioner as shaving cream. Used to wax, got tired of making appointments. Tried laser hair removal, it hurt. It was free, actually, but I don't like the pain and am bad at making appointments. I exercise a few times/week. Not in terrific shape, but it'll do.
Fancy stuff:
I occasionally get Botox. Was recommended for migraines, and it works for those, but I don't deny that I get more than is necessary for the migraine treatment. This is free for me and I don't have to make an appointment (I've got a hookup), though, so cost-effective. Judge away.
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Hair: baking soda and vinegar didn't work for me so I tried water only ( a good scrub with your fingers but no product). Three months and counting with zero cost.
Face: I found that less was more here too - lots of water and only soap took care of my issues
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"Cetaphil for daily face wash"
I can't believe it took 44 posts before this was mentioned.
I have sensitive skin & have used this for 20years.
Over the years I have seen it recommended in magazines as a good budget wash.
Gentil enough for kids too.
It is also great for men's shaving. Wonderful to travel with as it does double duty & can be whiped off dry.
It can also be used to treat Lice. Yes Gross! Coat the hair and leave 24h. Repeat next week. There is actually a peer reviewed publication discussing its effectiveness. It suffocates the little buggars.
Also...
I just use a daily moisturizer w SPF.
For waxing I use the pre-waxed strips. For 1/2 the price of one salon visit I can do about 5 times with one box.
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...
Also, not a beauty tip, but we use coconut butter as lubricant and it works much better of anything else we ever used.
Well, since someone else has already ventured into TMI territory, I'll second this recommendation.
No need to thank us.
Hey since we're at it: do you find that it stains the sheets?
I received nice linen sheets as a gift, but I'm afraid of ruining them...
Our regular sheets are so ugly I never cared where the coconut butter went, but I didn't find stains yet.
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...
Also, not a beauty tip, but we use coconut butter as lubricant and it works much better of anything else we ever used.
Well, since someone else has already ventured into TMI territory, I'll second this recommendation.
No need to thank us.
Hey since we're at it: do you find that it stains the sheets?
I received nice linen sheets as a gift, but I'm afraid of ruining them...
Our regular sheets are so ugly I never cared where the coconut butter went, but I didn't find stains yet.
Hmm, I should have read your post more closely; we use coconut oil, not coconut butter. Not sure if there's a difference. I haven't noticed any staining, but maybe you could smear some on your old sheets or an inconspicuous part of your new ones?
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I tried the no poo method, but it didn't work for me.
However, here is what I do:
1. Color and cut my own hair.
2. Skin: once a week, exfoliate with a cheap sea sand peeling, then a healing earth mask (costs 5€ at the drugstore and lasts about 6 months), then coconut oil. Cream with sun protection every day. Clean every evening with water and a washcloth. My skin has never been better.
3. Nails: once a week, DIY.
4. Exercise: running, yoga with dvds at home, bike riding, sometimes tough workouts with dvds at home.
5. Food: drink a lot of water and green tea, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and good fats (nuts, avocados, salmon...). This enhances complexion a lot more than any makeup could.
6. Whenever possible: relax, meditate, sleep, walk slowly... really trying to get better at that one.
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Also, not a beauty tip, but we use coconut butter as lubricant and it works much better of anything else we ever used.
Well, since someone else has already ventured into TMI territory, I'll second this recommendation. No need to thank us.
Hey since we're at it: do you find that it stains the sheets? I received nice linen sheets as a gift, but I'm afraid of ruining them...Our regular sheets are so ugly I never cared where the coconut butter went, but I didn't find stains yet.
Hmm, I should have read your post more closely; we use coconut oil, not coconut butter. Not sure if there's a difference. I haven't noticed any staining, but maybe you could smear some on your old sheets or an inconspicuous part of your new ones?
I was so sure I had posted about this that I just combed through the whole thread. Then I remembered that it was over at the Non-Consumer Advocate, sigh.
Tangent Alert: Cetaphil has been mentioned no less than three times, proving that great minds think alike. Totally irrelevant to what I have to say next, though.
To begin with, the relevant product is Coconut "Oil", not "Butter" (big difference), and preference is for organic. Costco sells big tubs of it. Buy it there.
I'm posting to second the recommendation of it as a lubricant. Works great, but there's more. **TMI Alert** Specifically, I have had terrible problems with UTI's for years. As in standing lab orders and prescriptions. Yes, I do all the things one is supposed to do, generally to no avail. We tried coconut oil just to get away from synthetic lubes and were surprised to notice a sharp drop in UTI's. Not doing anything else different, but far fewer UTI's = happy wife and well, you know the rest. I've since read that CO has some slight anti-bacterial properties, so maybe that's it, but it works, so who cares why?
So, um, we get it on the sheets all the time. It does leave a slight mark after a regular cold water wash. I'm not terribly picky, so every fourth wash or so. I'll add oxy-something and wash in warm water, which removes all traces and makes the sheets look brand-new. My sheets are high quality cotton though, not linen. Bonus tip: Transfer CO to a small glass jar. If it melts, just pop it in the fridge and it re-solidifies quickly. Use the liquified form at your own risk, as it spreads quickly if spilled. Voice of experience here.
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I love this thread, glad to see it back up top. I've experimented a ton with this stuff over the past year:
- Hair: Haven't used shampoo in almost 2 years now, except for Dr Bronners while traveling or feeling super lazy (I consider this "low poo"). Right now I'm alternating egg yolk washes (always seem to get cooked egg in my hair though), lemon juice rinses w/ honey conditioner, good old baking soda w/ acv rinse, and (my favorite) a combo of volcanic ash (!!), honey, acv & water with just a tiny tiny tiny bit of coconut oil run through my hair after as conditioner. This probably sounds like a lot of work but overall my hair feels healthier and looks better and I love that I can always wash my hair with SOMETHING in the kitchen (or just do water only, of course, or homemade dry shampoo).
- Makeup: Slowly stopped wearing most of it. Honestly don't notice much of a difference. Right now my day to day routine is just a tiny bit of caster oil as mascara & brow gel, followed up by some eyeliner. If I want to get fancy I use a little brow powder and lip crayon. I spent years putting on face powder that (I think) just made my skin worse and lipstick that I immediately rubbed off/ate, I'm much happier with this simplified routine.
- Nails: Cut and file only. Nail polish is ridiculous expectation that I refuse to participate in.
- Shaving: Still looking for a good solution here. I'm currently just not shaving my bikini line at all because of saddle sores from biking, which means I'm just not swimming. Not an issue this time of year but not really a great long term plan. I don't really mind shaving my legs & pits (and am also pretty haphazard about this). I wish I were badass enough to just wear a bathing suit with an untrimmed bikini line but that is a line (....ha) I'm not willing to cross.
Lastly, re: Dr Bronners: I've heard if it leaves a film on your hair thats because it is reacting to hard water. I use it sometimes anyway, I wash at night and by the time I wake up and brush out my hair it doesn't seem filmy anymore. I love how simple this makes packing cosmetics when I travel, I basically just need Dr Bronners and toothpaste.
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Also, not a beauty tip, but we use coconut butter as lubricant and it works much better of anything else we ever used.
Well, since someone else has already ventured into TMI territory, I'll second this recommendation. No need to thank us.
Huh. Thanks for that rec - our usual lube has started giving me a rash, which is Extremely Annoying. I'll give the coconut oil a shot.
While we're on the coconut oil theme: it is the best make-up remover I've ever tried.
Hey since we're at it: do you find that it stains the sheets? I received nice linen sheets as a gift, but I'm afraid of ruining them...Our regular sheets are so ugly I never cared where the coconut butter went, but I didn't find stains yet.
Hmm, I should have read your post more closely; we use coconut oil, not coconut butter. Not sure if there's a difference. I haven't noticed any staining, but maybe you could smear some on your old sheets or an inconspicuous part of your new ones?
I was so sure I had posted about this that I just combed through the whole thread. Then I remembered that it was over at the Non-Consumer Advocate, sigh.
Tangent Alert: Cetaphil has been mentioned no less than three times, proving that great minds think alike. Totally irrelevant to what I have to say next, though.
To begin with, the relevant product is Coconut "Oil", not "Butter" (big difference), and preference is for organic. Costco sells big tubs of it. Buy it there.
I'm posting to second the recommendation of it as a lubricant. Works great, but there's more. **TMI Alert** Specifically, I have had terrible problems with UTI's for years. As in standing lab orders and prescriptions. Yes, I do all the things one is supposed to do, generally to no avail. We tried coconut oil just to get away from synthetic lubes and were surprised to notice a sharp drop in UTI's. Not doing anything else different, but far fewer UTI's = happy wife and well, you know the rest. I've since read that CO has some slight anti-bacterial properties, so maybe that's it, but it works, so who cares why?
So, um, we get it on the sheets all the time. It does leave a slight mark after a regular cold water wash. I'm not terribly picky, so every fourth wash or so. I'll add oxy-something and wash in warm water, which removes all traces and makes the sheets look brand-new. My sheets are high quality cotton though, not linen. Bonus tip: Transfer CO to a small glass jar. If it melts, just pop it in the fridge and it re-solidifies quickly. Use the liquified form at your own risk, as it spreads quickly if spilled. Voice of experience here.
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- Shaving: Still looking for a good solution here. I'm currently just not shaving my bikini line at all because of saddle sores from biking, which means I'm just not swimming. Not an issue this time of year but not really a great long term plan. I don't really mind shaving my legs & pits (and am also pretty haphazard about this). I wish I were badass enough to just wear a bathing suit with an untrimmed bikini line but that is a line (....ha) I'm not willing to cross.
Have you considered wearing black biking short-style bottoms or a black athletic skort? I decided this summer that I have *had it* with shaving the bikini area after having 5 ingrown hairs at once. Fuck that. So I went to Target and tried on a variety of skirt and short bottoms. The bathing suit ones were actually really odd (super super low rise and short, no matter how large a size) and did not look good. But, then I got the brilliant idea of checking in the athletic section, and wound up getting two skorts-one black to match a black top I already have and one grey/blue that actually perfectly matches a blue bikini top I have. This one exactly, actually: http://www.target.com/p/c9-champion-women-s-run-skort/-/A-16847456?ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=16847456&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=pla_women+c9+shopping&adgroup=c9+champion&LID=22pgs&KID=0b1b689f-7759-4593-8db1-039cda47ab4a&kpid=16847456&gclid=CMOazefSncgCFcIXHwodvUUBAQ
The built in shorts are like bicycle shorts, so they don't float open or anything in the water. I wore them all summer and I love them. I actually think they are more flattering than a traditional bottom on me *and* I can walk around the beach etc without the awkward thigh rub. I don't know why I didn't think if it earlier. And for the TMI record, I do keep the area trimmed very short, I just no longer shave. Wish I made the switch sooner.
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Have you considered wearing black biking short-style bottoms or a black athletic skort? I decided this summer that I have *had it* with shaving the bikini area after having 5 ingrown hairs at once. Fuck that. So I went to Target and tried on a variety of skirt and short bottoms. The bathing suit ones were actually really odd (super super low rise and short, no matter how large a size) and did not look good. But, then I got the brilliant idea of checking in the athletic section, and wound up getting two skorts-one black to match a black top I already have and one grey/blue that actually perfectly matches a blue bikini top I have. This one exactly, actually: http://www.target.com/p/c9-champion-women-s-run-skort/-/A-16847456?ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=16847456&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=pla_women+c9+shopping&adgroup=c9+champion&LID=22pgs&KID=0b1b689f-7759-4593-8db1-039cda47ab4a&kpid=16847456&gclid=CMOazefSncgCFcIXHwodvUUBAQ
The built in shorts are like bicycle shorts, so they don't float open or anything in the water. I wore them all summer and I love them. I actually think they are more flattering than a traditional bottom on me *and* I can walk around the beach etc without the awkward thigh rub. I don't know why I didn't think if it earlier. And for the TMI record, I do keep the area trimmed very short, I just no longer shave. Wish I made the switch sooner.
Thank you for this suggestion! How did the skort hold up to the chlorine? I might try this out.
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Have you considered wearing black biking short-style bottoms or a black athletic skort? I decided this summer that I have *had it* with shaving the bikini area after having 5 ingrown hairs at once. Fuck that. So I went to Target and tried on a variety of skirt and short bottoms. The bathing suit ones were actually really odd (super super low rise and short, no matter how large a size) and did not look good. But, then I got the brilliant idea of checking in the athletic section, and wound up getting two skorts-one black to match a black top I already have and one grey/blue that actually perfectly matches a blue bikini top I have. This one exactly, actually: http://www.target.com/p/c9-champion-women-s-run-skort/-/A-16847456?ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=16847456&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=pla_women+c9+shopping&adgroup=c9+champion&LID=22pgs&KID=0b1b689f-7759-4593-8db1-039cda47ab4a&kpid=16847456&gclid=CMOazefSncgCFcIXHwodvUUBAQ
The built in shorts are like bicycle shorts, so they don't float open or anything in the water. I wore them all summer and I love them. I actually think they are more flattering than a traditional bottom on me *and* I can walk around the beach etc without the awkward thigh rub. I don't know why I didn't think if it earlier. And for the TMI record, I do keep the area trimmed very short, I just no longer shave. Wish I made the switch sooner.
Thank you for this suggestion! How did the skort hold up to the chlorine? I might try this out.
Fine so far, although it was only one summer. You can also check out the actual swim shorts/skirts/skorts if you are concerned with this, I just was not a fan of those that I tried on at Target.
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I'm sort of hesitant to go the skort route, probably because I've secretly wanted to my ENTIRE life to hide my not-small thighs, and I just feel like it would look matronly on me. This is a good suggestion though, so I'll start keeping an eye out for something that might work.
I actually just checked, and Athleta has swim shorts that look more sporty than matronly. Don't REALLY want to give money to them, but I am tempted....
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I actually just checked, and Athleta has swim shorts that look more sporty than matronly. Don't REALLY want to give money to them, but I am tempted....
If it helps, Gap brand family gift cards are always on those giftcard-resale sites for like 20% off. It's giving them less money...
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I'm sort of hesitant to go the skort route, probably because I've secretly wanted to my ENTIRE life to hide my not-small thighs, and I just feel like it would look matronly on me. This is a good suggestion though, so I'll start keeping an eye out for something that might work.
I actually just checked, and Athleta has swim shorts that look more sporty than matronly. Don't REALLY want to give money to them, but I am tempted....
I was concerned about looking matronly too, but I really don't think I do. The two keys to me seem to be (1) wearing a skirt with no gather or much flair. Pretty straight, short skirts look more athletic, IMO and (2) wearing a youthful top with it.
ETA: so this is obviously not me, and not really how I look, but more along these lines of vibe: http://www.venus.com/viewproduct.aspx?BRANCH=24~350~&ProductDisplayID=18315
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Just signed up! I wonder what they'll think when they see 'MMM' in the referral section? 😀
I don't use moisturizers but I tend to do 4-6 week long cosmetic studies where I get free face moisturizers/gel/oil and then get paid $40 for using them for the month. Good deal there.
Tell us more about this!
It's with Biometrix. Here is their website: http://biometrixinc.com/
I don't remember how or when I signed up, but sign up I did. Seems I received an email out of the blue from them asking if I wanted to do a face study for an oil moisturizer from out of their SF office. So I started doing studies with them. I've done 3 studies total and might be on my 4th tonight, I'll have to call about it. It's another moisturizer one. Typically they want women for the studies. I ride my bike after work to their office, pick up the product and the instructions, use it everyday and keep a journal, and a month later ride back with the used product and my journal and receive a $40 check. Pretty easy money and kinda fun too. One of the studies I did was for glittery eyeshadow. But I prefer the moisturizer ones. Because I'm a tomboy at heart.
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I'm sort of hesitant to go the skort route, probably because I've secretly wanted to my ENTIRE life to hide my not-small thighs, and I just feel like it would look matronly on me. This is a good suggestion though, so I'll start keeping an eye out for something that might work.
I actually just checked, and Athleta has swim shorts that look more sporty than matronly. Don't REALLY want to give money to them, but I am tempted....
I was concerned about looking matronly too, but I really don't think I do. The two keys to me seem to be (1) wearing a skirt with no gather or much flair. Pretty straight, short skirts look more athletic, IMO and (2) wearing a youthful top with it.
ETA: so this is obviously not me, and not really how I look, but more along these lines of vibe: http://www.venus.com/viewproduct.aspx?BRANCH=24~350~&ProductDisplayID=18315
You are right - that is not matronly at ALL! You've sold me on this. Cycling and shaving just don't mix and f the patriarchy, anyway ;-)
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Just signed up! I wonder what they'll think when they see 'MMM' in the referral section? 😀
I don't use moisturizers but I tend to do 4-6 week long cosmetic studies where I get free face moisturizers/gel/oil and then get paid $40 for using them for the month. Good deal there.
Tell us more about this!
This sounds like so much fun...do you know if you have to be in the area/continental US?
It's with Biometrix. Here is their website: http://biometrixinc.com/
I don't remember how or when I signed up, but sign up I did. Seems I received an email out of the blue from them asking if I wanted to do a face study for an oil moisturizer from out of their SF office. So I started doing studies with them. I've done 3 studies total and might be on my 4th tonight, I'll have to call about it. It's another moisturizer one. Typically they want women for the studies. I ride my bike after work to their office, pick up the product and the instructions, use it everyday and keep a journal, and a month later ride back with the used product and my journal and receive a $40 check. Pretty easy money and kinda fun too. One of the studies I did was for glittery eyeshadow. But I prefer the moisturizer ones. Because I'm a tomboy at heart.
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1. Coconut oil is the only thing I put on my face. Wash with water, moisturize with a tiny tab in the morning after my shower. 1 jar lasts two years.
2. Drink a pint glass of water every morning first thing when I wake up. I started this habit two years ago and it has 100% negated my need for any sort of moisturizer (other than the coconut oil on my face). I don't use lotion or shaving cream or anything else of the sort. Only sunscreen when needed in the summer.
3. Exercise 2-3 times a week.
4. Self pedicures.
5. Get expensive haircuts every 6 months. Not super mustachian, but I have long hair and have found that paying more for a good cut, color, and style that grows out well is worth it for me. I spend less than $500/year on my beauty routine but get the luxury of enjoying this very big splurge within that budget.
6. I have long, thick hair and about a year ago but an expensive ($50 with a groupon) hairdryer when my old one blew out. It's been worth it -- my hair dries much faster and it's the "ionizing" kind (wtf that means) that does seem to help with frizziness. I also use an anti-frizz creme that is $10/bottle but the bottle lasts me two years.
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I'm sort of hesitant to go the skort route, probably because I've secretly wanted to my ENTIRE life to hide my not-small thighs, and I just feel like it would look matronly on me. This is a good suggestion though, so I'll start keeping an eye out for something that might work.
I actually just checked, and Athleta has swim shorts that look more sporty than matronly. Don't REALLY want to give money to them, but I am tempted....
I was concerned about looking matronly too, but I really don't think I do. The two keys to me seem to be (1) wearing a skirt with no gather or much flair. Pretty straight, short skirts look more athletic, IMO and (2) wearing a youthful top with it.
ETA: so this is obviously not me, and not really how I look, but more along these lines of vibe: http://www.venus.com/viewproduct.aspx?BRANCH=24~350~&ProductDisplayID=18315
The other option (and one which I intend to go for if I ever need a swimming costume again, as someone who has not shaved anything for four years or so and never intends to again!) is a vintage-style costume with low-cut legs. Almost everything on this page would be suitable: http://www.forluna.co.uk
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I'm sort of hesitant to go the skort route, probably because I've secretly wanted to my ENTIRE life to hide my not-small thighs, and I just feel like it would look matronly on me. This is a good suggestion though, so I'll start keeping an eye out for something that might work.
I actually just checked, and Athleta has swim shorts that look more sporty than matronly. Don't REALLY want to give money to them, but I am tempted....
I was concerned about looking matronly too, but I really don't think I do. The two keys to me seem to be (1) wearing a skirt with no gather or much flair. Pretty straight, short skirts look more athletic, IMO and (2) wearing a youthful top with it.
ETA: so this is obviously not me, and not really how I look, but more along these lines of vibe: http://www.venus.com/viewproduct.aspx?BRANCH=24~350~&ProductDisplayID=18315
The other option (and one which I intend to go for if I ever need a swimming costume again, as someone who has not shaved anything for four years or so and never intends to again!) is a vintage-style costume with low-cut legs. Almost everything on this page would be suitable: http://www.forluna.co.uk
I think that those are super cute, but just as a word of warning for others to consider: I actually had a suit like that. In no way did it cover the bikini line in a way that I could not shave and be comfortable; I really need a short bicycle-type short under the skirt (like built in to the skort) ....but YMMV.
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Yeah I agree on the vintagey ones -- super cute but they don't really give you the extra coverage where you'd need it to not shave.
What about these? They are SUPER short but I think they would probably work, or at least well enough? http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-light-variable-board-shorts-2-half-inch?p=76600-0
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Just cut my own hair today for the first time. It looks okay. I used the ponytail method for layers.
Now, some of my layers were too short already, because of the style, so they didn't get trimmed. Maybe I'll trim a little more next week.
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Yeah I agree on the vintagey ones -- super cute but they don't really give you the extra coverage where you'd need it to not shave.
What about these? They are SUPER short but I think they would probably work, or at least well enough? http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-light-variable-board-shorts-2-half-inch?p=76600-0
Those look like they'd be worth trying to me!
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For anyone looking for cheaper makeup- I did an ipsy subscription for a few months and got all of the makup I wanted for the year.
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My skin reacted quite poorly to both olive oil and coconut oil for moisturizer/cleaner. I break out very badly with these. HOWEVER. I did find that my skin LOVES apricot kernel oil. I buy it through subscribe and save cheap. I use it as moisutizer, cleanser, shaving 'gel', make up remover, etc etc.
I only use soap (dr bronners) on the 'dirty bits': feet, groin, pits. Keeps skin happy.
I 'co-wash', which people have talked about on here before. Only wash every 3rd or 4th day.
Make my own deodorant. My one batch has lasted me over a year, so I don't remember the exact recipe, but it was coconut oil, corn starch, and (?) baking soda. I think. I also have a sea salt roll-on I use right after showers, but it doesn't have much staying power. DH loves the smell though- chamomile and lavender.
Yogurt face masks! Basically, Crunchy Betty is the best. Cleared up my skin like magic before my wedding.
Hair lightening: lemon and yogurt hair masks. Also, oil masks and egg masks were great to remove henna from my hair before the wedding.
A big one for my skin staying soft ended up being my laundry soap. I switched to hippy stuff (ecos? I think it's called?) and my elbows/knees have been way less dry. So I was probably reacting somehow. Same with sink soap: the dawn was starting to chafe my wrists and split my cuticles. We do Seventh Generation now, and it's much better.
And of course your classics: put lotion on your feet then wear socks to bed. Put a thick lotion on your lips before sleeping if you have a split. Lots of water. And I'm another "lots of fats, particularly animal fats, keeps my face happy". Unfortunately, I also found alcohol tends to #(*$&#@&$^#@ my skin. I'm better at the fats (yay butter!) than the alcohol =\ work in progress!
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. Your personality and physique can make up for less than perfectly symmetrical features.
5. If you're a lady, sorry we are so shallow.
While Guitarstv has a point, in real life attractiveness can matter. Up to a point.
I have never heard a man say they care or notice symmetrical features so heinous, the chick had better be ripped and have a sparkling personality to make up for it. Maybe a complaint about a large nose, but they do not expect her to be compensating for it. Most women do not look like Picasso paintings. The vast majority of humans do not have perfect symmetry and are still beautiful anyways. That's about as shallow as I have heard.
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I wish I could feel the same about the grey hairs :(
I don't know if this is up your alley: I use Garner Nutrisse hair color, with a sale and coupons, it usually costs 3 bucks. It's easy. I only went once to my stylist recently because it was starting to pull too red, $30 but included cut. He is willing to give me the ingredients of my formula, buy it at where he gets his stuff, gives me exact instructions and it's $10 but lasts for 2 applications
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What do you guys use to wash your face on a daily basis? (Not a once weekly scrub). It literally just occurred to me right this minute that I can probably stop buying special 'fash wash' (marketing) and just use, like, normal body wash or other soap? Am I incorrect? I guess if you need the sacilyc acid to prevent breakouts that would be a reason to use dedicated face wash, but thanks to birth control I don't have an issue with that really.
I had adult acne that got bad after menopause, my faithful oil free/acne Neutrogena products no longer worked. Saw derm, cleared up with a low dose anti-biotic and a gel and he said any gentle soap to maintain, no need for acne-specific products, suggested Dove, has worked fine. Even CVS generic version. They give you 3 giant tubes of the gel for $10 with my drug plan, I will die before it runs out. Saving it in case DD gets acne and the ped says the gel is good. I get 90 days of the antibiotic for $5. Have tried stopping this and it all came rip roaring back. I'm very happy with the dove, just one product
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Confession- I used to be addicted to Sephora.
For the record, my addiction has now shifted to lip balm. Any easy homemade recipes out there? Preferably ones where I don't have to break out the candy thermometer? Not interested in going all "breaking bad" for lip balm.
I wasn't addicted to Sephora but it's fun to go with DD. And I do have oily skin so Bare Minerals makes me look better, I use the compact. The thing I was addicted to was the Christmas perfume trial gift set, you get samples to see what you like and then a certificate for a full sized bottle and a purse atomizer. Did this three years and realized I go so slowly through perfume, I had to stop. I have to go through my make up and give it to DD, we have the same coloring. I'm not really wearing since not working
I also had a lipstick addiction that I got mostly at CVS for a couple of dollars. I did use them, but when it was $2 again, I'd get more and never threw out the old ones. Last year, DD was going through them and found the one I wore at my wedding. In 1994. I'm divorced so I asked DD if she wanted it for sentimental reasons. She looked at me like I had 3 heads and decided I was a lipstick hoarder.
Try Bulk Apothecary for cases if you make your own lip balm or just buy theirs. I used Avon lip balm when it was 99c. Accidentally, I received some with no labels, so I could see how full they were, way less than half. I liked Bulk Apothecary's- 50 for 11c each plus free ship and a 20% off coupon. I hand it out left and right and lip balm stockpiles well. Can't beat 9c lip balm that you like!
DD found websites that compare drugstore brands to Sephora brands. So you can find something pretty close to that $68 Naked palette. She saved and saved for that and even she admitted that was a mistake.
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When your guy doesn't notice your fake eyelashes, he's not gonna notice anything.
3 days before my wedding day, my hair came out blue green enough that I, a calm person, just started bawling. Because my hairdresser decided two months prior that she was going to get married the same day as me, she had no time to fix it. She sent me the next day to her friend and he was like "whoa, that's blue!" SIX hours later, he fixed it, yay. So I totally went home with extremely obvious blue hair just before my wedding and my ex-husband did not notice. We had dinner, chatted, no mention of the blue hair. Finally I said, "notice anything different?" He looked and said, "Am I supposed to?" That should've been my first clue.
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How do people go 3-4 days without washing their hair? If I don't wash my hair daily, it gets uber oily and stringy. I've tried just rinsing it, but it gets so tangled if I don't use conditioner that I can't get a comb through it. And, if I only rinse it and add conditioner, it just gets even more oily. My hair is really healthy despite daily washing; however, I'd love to find a way to cut back, even if it's just to every other day. Suggestions?
CVS brand dry shampoo that is stocked next to the Tresemme one, black with neon green top, if I remember right. I cannot go two days without washing without it being visibly oily, the dry shampoo really works. Get it when CVS has 30% off their brand
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Also -a bra that fits properly. I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and had to get refitted for a bra. The next day I had friends and coworkers ask if I'd lost even more weight. It turns out that good foundational undergarments last a long time and make everything else look amazing.
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when the girls were still drooping years after BF-ing and it seemed like they would never be like before, I went to a woman's bra shop, behind her back, she is known as the Bra Nazi. Little old women who had definite beliefs about how a bra should fit and which brand would be best, she does not speak, she yells. You have zero privacy, she touches your breasts to get them just right in the cup. She put me in a Le Mystere bra and then had me put my shirt back on, OMG! Who knew? From then on, I always bought one full price from her and got the discounted ones online. She died, that woman worked hard!
A friend at work told me there were rumors going around that I had gotten a boob job. Oh, FFS, had I supposedly done that over a weekend? At the time, we only had one male employee so when he wasn't around, I said, "no boob job, you idiots! Go to the Bra Nazi yourselves!" and they did
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this was a good read, I can't believe how much DIY stuff is out there. Do you find it much cheaper than even CVS on sale with stacked coupons? I wouldn't want to spend more to DIY. Or is it more the thought of being more natural?
I have one weird tip that works so well for women with oily skin. Wash face, pat dry, use a moisturizer with sunscreen, wait 10 mins, apply the thinnest layer possible of generic Milk of Magnesia, let that soak in before doing make-up. Best primer ever for pennies. Just check that you haven't put too much in one spot, it would be white if you did, rub excess off. I stopped having such oily skin by midday doing this, my foundation did not slide off. I read this in a magazine and I did wonder who would put MOM on their face? Asked a pharmacist friend if she had ever heard this and she said yes, she does it as well.
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Here's some tips for a man:
- Use four toiletries: coconut oil, Bronner's tea tree bar soap, hydrogen peroxide, and a Thai deodorant stone.
- Use coconut oil for everything. Face wash, under arms, moisturizer, oral health, hair, shaving, massage, sex, and on and on. Great for cooking and baking, too.
- Done.
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I had a jar of coconut oil that I bought and never used as I didn't know what to do with it so this has given me some ideas.
I have one weird tip that works so well for women with oily skin. Wash face, pat dry, use a moisturizer with sunscreen, wait 10 mins, apply the thinnest layer possible of generic Milk of Magnesia, let that soak in before doing make-up. Best primer ever for pennies. Just check that you haven't put too much in one spot, it would be white if you did, rub excess off. I stopped having such oily skin by midday doing this, my foundation did not slide off. I read this in a magazine and I did wonder who would put MOM on their face? Asked a pharmacist friend if she had ever heard this and she said yes, she does it as well.
Interesting. I've read that aspirin crushed up makes a good face mask. I keep forgetting to try it out.
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I'm going to try cutting my own hair some time soon. I'm absolutely terrified I'm going to mess it up, but whatever. Hair grows. And if it's truly bad, I'll pay a professional after the fact to fix it.
I've been psyching myself up for this and I'm trying it TONIGHT! So, so nervous about it, but I have long hair that I usually wear up anyway, so I can always hide it if it is really awful :)
How'd it go MissStache? I've been cutting my own hair for more than a year now (ponytail method) and I like the way it looks and find it to be pretty easy.
I totally chickened out, I think spurred on by the look of abject horror on my boyfriend's face when I said I was going to do it. But, I happened to visit my sister that weekend and she, who has cut her own hair for years, did it for me! So I still got a free haircut!
EDIT for bad formatting
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Not my own trick, but I had a roommate with oily skin who made regular face masks with... cat litter. Not any brand, a specific brand which was advertised as 100% clay, which is indeed a common ingredient for treatment of oily skin. Never tried myself tho.
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Also -a bra that fits properly. I lost a lot of weight a few years ago and had to get refitted for a bra. The next day I had friends and coworkers ask if I'd lost even more weight. It turns out that good foundational undergarments last a long time and make everything else look amazing.
when the girls were still drooping years after BF-ing and it seemed like they would never be like before, I went to a woman's bra shop, behind her back, she is known as the Bra Nazi. Little old women who had definite beliefs about how a bra should fit and which brand would be best, she does not speak, she yells. You have zero privacy, she touches your breasts to get them just right in the cup. She put me in a Le Mystere bra and then had me put my shirt back on, OMG! Who knew? From then on, I always bought one full price from her and got the discounted ones online. She died, that woman worked hard!
A friend at work told me there were rumors going around that I had gotten a boob job. Oh, FFS, had I supposedly done that over a weekend? At the time, we only had one male employee so when he wasn't around, I said, "no boob job, you idiots! Go to the Bra Nazi yourselves!" and they did
OMG, FLA, what a picture you've painted! This is hilarious! The Bra Nazi, may she rest in peace.
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Belatedly realising this in my early 40s: best beauty hack - do not give any fucks. At all. I am currently bald due to medical treatment and will be for many months. I am quite happy being bald. It took a bit to get over the social conditioning and not give any fucks, but confidence is everything. I've asked DH if anyone has been staring at my lack of hair when we go out and he reckons, nope.
So yeah, next year when I'm back at work and looking more "normal", I am going to try to keep the vibe of I do not give any fucks what I look like (I will probably still keep plucking my eyebrows as my one sop to vanity). And when my hair grows back, I will keep cutting/shaving it myself but more adventurously than I have done previously.
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Up until the beginning of this year I was using relatively cheap cleansers for my face approx $10. Now I'm using the "dove" soap bar for my face, it cost me less than $1 in Mexico (that's dollar not Mxn peso). I've used lotion with SPF on my face for the last 20 years. I am currently out of a face lotion with SPF, but somebody else above suggested using any kind of SPF, I think I will do this as I find face creams with SPF are quiet a bit more expensive.
Water, water, water. I have always drunk plenty - even as a kid. My skin has always been good.
I am seriously thinking of going the no-poo route. Just haven't worked up the courage yet.
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I haven't been able to read all of these yet, so their probably covered.
I wash my hair with a sulfate free shampoo and condition it only when needed- probably once a month. Otherwise just water. My hair is healthier than it ever has been :) it is long right now so I braid it at night, less split ends and tangles. I tried baking soda and a cig what rinse but no matter my portions it dried my hair and scalp eventually.
Oil cleansing method to wash my face with either olive or coconut oil.
I wear minimal make up only when going someplace fancy i.e. A benefit dinner or wedding.
I pluck my own eyebrows and wax my own upper lip/ face. The small pot of wax I bought is almost gone after 2 years and I plan on trying sugar wax next.
Diva cup and cloth panty liners if I feel the need for extra coverage.
Laser hair removal. Now hear me out- I have very thick course pubic and underarm hair. When I attemp to shave I end up with ingrown hairs that get infected. I've got scars on my thighs and underarms from infected ingrowns and tried every trick in the books for years- coupled with a "bikini line" that goes to mid thigh and it was pretty dismal. Waxing helped with the ingrowns but it was $50+ per wax for just the bikini line- nothing extended because of the time it took... So I only would do that prior to a vacation. My sister got laser and convinced me to try- so for $300 on a groupon I never have to worry about ingrowns again- well worth it and an over all savings for me and my skin.
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How to curl your hair without heat! Genius. I have done this every night this week and it is AMAZING! I haven't read every comment, so if this has already been posted my apologies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-VuMyY-N8M.
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Belatedly realising this in my early 40s: best beauty hack - do not give any fucks. At all. I am currently bald due to medical treatment and will be for many months. I am quite happy being bald. It took a bit to get over the social conditioning and not give any fucks, but confidence is everything. I've asked DH if anyone has been staring at my lack of hair when we go out and he reckons, nope.
So yeah, next year when I'm back at work and looking more "normal", I am going to try to keep the vibe of I do not give any fucks what I look like (I will probably still keep plucking my eyebrows as my one sop to vanity). And when my hair grows back, I will keep cutting/shaving it myself but more adventurously than I have done previously.
after doing oncology and hospice, I got so used to women without their hair that it just seemed natural and beautiful. Sometimes they would have their very nice wig on but I wouldn't even realize it was them for a minute. You can really see the beauty of a woman's face without the distraction of hair, if that makes sense. Keep up not giving a fuck!
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Belatedly realising this in my early 40s: best beauty hack - do not give any fucks. At all. I am currently bald due to medical treatment and will be for many months. I am quite happy being bald. It took a bit to get over the social conditioning and not give any fucks, but confidence is everything. I've asked DH if anyone has been staring at my lack of hair when we go out and he reckons, nope.
So yeah, next year when I'm back at work and looking more "normal", I am going to try to keep the vibe of I do not give any fucks what I look like (I will probably still keep plucking my eyebrows as my one sop to vanity). And when my hair grows back, I will keep cutting/shaving it myself but more adventurously than I have done previously.
after doing oncology and hospice, I got so used to women without their hair that it just seemed natural and beautiful. Sometimes they would have their very nice wig on but I wouldn't even realize it was them for a minute. You can really see the beauty of a woman's face without the distraction of hair, if that makes sense. Keep up not giving a fuck!
I wish the hospital I go to was like that. Every woman who's lost her hair there wears some sort of head covering (admittedly, it could be partly from feeling the cold, but still). Last chemo I took my hat off (which I was wearing for warmth outside) as soon as I got in, and then noticed that one other woman did too. I felt a mild sense of achievement with that :) There does seem to be a lot of pressure/assumption with the treatment that I'm on that OF COURSE you will get a wig or wear hats and scarves and try to hide the fact that you might be bald underneath. And it comes from everyone - the doctors, the nurses, support staff, etc
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Tthree, do you use the sprays or doea it hold naturally? I think my hair could do it with natural oils (I'm water only) but just curious to see what you use!
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[/quote]
I wish the hospital I go to was like that. Every woman who's lost her hair there wears some sort of head covering (admittedly, it could be partly from feeling the cold, but still). Last chemo I took my hat off (which I was wearing for warmth outside) as soon as I got in, and then noticed that one other woman did too. I felt a mild sense of achievement with that :) There does seem to be a lot of pressure/assumption with the treatment that I'm on that OF COURSE you will get a wig or wear hats and scarves and try to hide the fact that you might be bald underneath. And it comes from everyone - the doctors, the nurses, support staff, etc
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even the insurance company will pay for part of a wig! I think it's great that that other woman took her head covering off as well once she saw you did it. Older women I think it doesn't even occur to them to not cover their head, younger women are changing that stigma. You keep on going!
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How to curl your hair without heat! Genius. I have done this every night this week and it is AMAZING! I haven't read every comment, so if this has already been posted my apologies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-VuMyY-N8M.
I've never seen that before, but it looks incredible. My hair doesn't hold curls well, but I'm going to give it a shot!
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Tthree, do you use the sprays or doea it hold naturally? I think my hair could do it with natural oils (I'm water only) but just curious to see what you use!
Water only! The curl stays well in my hair.
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I read a lot here about coconut oil, here's a sale:
http://www.bulkapothecary.com:
Coconut Oil (76 degree) Prices after coupon code:
14oz. - - $2.46 / jar
7 lb. jug - $12.86 / pail
35 lb. pail - $45.57 / pail
55 gallon drum ~$.93 / lb.
Glycerin Prices after coupon code:
16oz. - - $3.22 / bottle
10 lb. jug - $10.99 / jug
50 lb. pail - $43.98 / pail
55 gallon drum ~$.65 / lb.
4-55 gallon drums. ~$.62 / lb.
72 drum truckload ~$.56 / lb.
45000 lb. tank truck ~$.42 / lb.
use code coconutvg
they have tons of stuff for concocting things at home and containers to dispense.
make sure to check out the clearance section and if you like Bath and Body works, they have comparable products (under Health and Beauty). The lip balm is great (clearance), the 32oz bottle of lotion for 2.99 in the clearance section is wonderful. And Bath and Body Works-ish lotion is 64oz for $8! Teen girl heaven on this site. Clearance also has Disney and lip smackers stuff for younger kids.
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Not really a 'hack', but one thing I consistently reach for is my glass nail file. No more having to replace worn out emery boards or nail clippers. I've had mine for over a few years and it still works like new. It's easily cleaned by water and prevents nails from splitting. +1 for Dr Bronners, love to use the liquid soap (diluted) as a body wash + face wash and pure coconut oil as an eye makeup remover. I gently rub a small amount over my eyes till the makeup and mascara has dissolved and blot with a small piece of tissue or a hand towel. A few drops of almond oil as an all over body moisturizer works wonders after a shower too.
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Not really a 'hack', but one thing I consistently reach for is my glass nail file.
I had no idea those were a thing!
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Homemade Makeup Remover
Saw this on FB today ... I'm going to try it .. looks good
https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeedtopknot/videos/954975357908515/?pnref=story (https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeedtopknot/videos/954975357908515/?pnref=story)
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Not really a 'hack', but one thing I consistently reach for is my glass nail file. No more having to replace worn out emery boards or nail clippers. I've had mine for over a few years and it still works like new. It's easily cleaned by water and prevents nails from splitting. +1 for Dr Bronners, love to use the liquid soap (diluted) as a body wash + face wash and pure coconut oil as an eye makeup remover. I gently rub a small amount over my eyes till the makeup and mascara has dissolved and blot with a small piece of tissue or a hand towel. A few drops of almond oil as an all over body moisturizer works wonders after a shower too.
Hmm...i have a glass nail file I keep at my desk. It was a gift. i use it, but i don't really like it. Feels weird on my nails and i worry i am going to split them or something.
My beauty hacks
- pure coconut oil as face/body moisturizer. Supposedly it also acts as a mild SPF? I like it better than any of the other expensive moisturizers I have ever used. gives a nice glow and isn't too oily for my combo skin.
- no more conditioner. I find conditioner for some reason gave me dandruff problems. So I quit using it. I don't find it causes the same problems anymore, but don't notice any difference in my hair after I add my hair oils/styling creams. My DD isn't as disciplined about using the hair oils, etc so she still uses conditioner.
- I use just water to wash my face. No makeup remover or whatever. It's probably bad - but in the last 5 years, I haven't noticed any difference whatsoever. Still - maybe I'm condemning my older self to horrible skin? I don't care all that much to be honest and laziness has won out.
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- pure coconut oil as face/body moisturizer. Supposedly it also acts as a mild SPF? I like it better than any of the other expensive moisturizers I have ever used. gives a nice glow and isn't too oily for my combo skin.
be careful with this -- i tried using coconut oil as a facial moisturizer and i broke out like crazy (and normally my skin is very resilient, i never break out normally).
i had better luck with avocado oil personally.
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- pure coconut oil as face/body moisturizer. Supposedly it also acts as a mild SPF? I like it better than any of the other expensive moisturizers I have ever used. gives a nice glow and isn't too oily for my combo skin.
be careful with this -- i tried using coconut oil as a facial moisturizer and i broke out like crazy (and normally my skin is very resilient, i never break out normally).
i had better luck with avocado oil personally.
I've only used coconut oil as a body moisturizer, so I have no comments about breaking out. However, coconut oil was amazing on my skin. It was a tad greasy, so I put it on before bed.
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http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/wtf/the-insane-vagina-glue-no-woman-will-ever-want/news-story/77918aa0c2ae0c982d7a1c3c56556a68
A chiropractor from the US, Dr Dopps describes the vagina as a “self-cleaning shower drain” (swoon) and has used this incredibly scientific understanding of female anatomy to come up with a product no woman in their right mind would want — The Mensez Adhesive Vaginal Lipstick.
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.
As Forbes reported, Dr Dopps is the CEO of a company called Mensez Technologies and describes his ingenious invention as a “natural compound of amino acids and oil in a lipstick that is applied to the labia minora which causes them to cling together in a manner strong enough to retain menstrual fluid in the vestibule above the labia minora where the vaginal opening and urethra exit.”
Oh, and the reason that a man invented this and not a woman?
“[Y]ou as a woman should have come up with a better solution than diapers and plugs, but you didn’t. Reason being women are focused on and distracted by your period 25 per cent of the time, making them far less productive than they could be.”
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http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/wtf/the-insane-vagina-glue-no-woman-will-ever-want/news-story/77918aa0c2ae0c982d7a1c3c56556a68
A chiropractor from the US, Dr Dopps describes the vagina as a “self-cleaning shower drain” (swoon) and has used this incredibly scientific understanding of female anatomy to come up with a product no woman in their right mind would want — The Mensez Adhesive Vaginal Lipstick.
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.
As Forbes reported, Dr Dopps is the CEO of a company called Mensez Technologies and describes his ingenious invention as a “natural compound of amino acids and oil in a lipstick that is applied to the labia minora which causes them to cling together in a manner strong enough to retain menstrual fluid in the vestibule above the labia minora where the vaginal opening and urethra exit.”
Oh, and the reason that a man invented this and not a woman?
“[Y]ou as a woman should have come up with a better solution than diapers and plugs, but you didn’t. Reason being women are focused on and distracted by your period 25 per cent of the time, making them far less productive than they could be.”
Chiropractors... bloody hell. Hope I never have the misfortunate of losing my marbles and going to see one.
How long does it stay shut for? What happens when you want sex? :D
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http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/wtf/the-insane-vagina-glue-no-woman-will-ever-want/news-story/77918aa0c2ae0c982d7a1c3c56556a68
A chiropractor from the US, Dr Dopps describes the vagina as a “self-cleaning shower drain” (swoon) and has used this incredibly scientific understanding of female anatomy to come up with a product no woman in their right mind would want — The Mensez Adhesive Vaginal Lipstick.
Yes, it is as bad as it sounds.
As Forbes reported, Dr Dopps is the CEO of a company called Mensez Technologies and describes his ingenious invention as a “natural compound of amino acids and oil in a lipstick that is applied to the labia minora which causes them to cling together in a manner strong enough to retain menstrual fluid in the vestibule above the labia minora where the vaginal opening and urethra exit.”
Oh, and the reason that a man invented this and not a woman?
“[Y]ou as a woman should have come up with a better solution than diapers and plugs, but you didn’t. Reason being women are focused on and distracted by your period 25 per cent of the time, making them far less productive than they could be.”
Chiropractors... bloody hell. Hope I never have the misfortunate of losing my marbles and going to see one.
How long does it stay shut for? What happens when you want sex? :D
Oh my. So many feels.
I'm good with my menstrual cup. Any ladies that try out the glue, let me know how it goes. ;)
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Hair: shampoo only once or twice a week and rinse before blowing dry the rest of the days. Stretches the shampoo bars I buy and is better for me. If hair is getting dry (I still have that issue on the ends sometimes) slip in some coconut oil or argan oil. If scalp is getting oily, use some cornstarch or cocoa as dry shampoo. Get hair thinned when trimming and you can stretch longer between haircuts (only recommended if your hair gets *poofy* between cuts or is particularly thick, like mine)
Face: Slather castor oil on dry face. Jump in shower and wash hair and rest of body. Oil will have partially steamed into your face -- providing you an oil cleanse for zero effort. Wipe off any excess with clean wet washcloth and jump out. Amazing skin, smaller pores,tons of vitamin E, skin soft and moisturized. Bonus -- castor oil is a 1.00 at the store.
Pimples: Baking soda paste before bed. Brush off after completely dried, or sleep in it if you don't mind the powder working off overnight.
Menstrual: diva cup!
Nails: Coconut oil
Skin: coconut oil or castor oil
Mascara: Let your sister, who represents Mary Kay, gift you your favorite mascara each Christmas and then stretch it with a drop or two of contact solution until next Christmas.
Other makeup -- don't use it. Use castor oil ;)
Make up remover -- coconut oil
Body -- use your shampoo bar, or the extra *sample* bars that your soap lady sends in your bulk orders ;)
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1. Don't associate with people likely to judge you based on your appearance.
2. Don't give a fuck.
Hear! Hear!
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Haha I love it.
Mustachian beauty hack: Stop giving a fuck.
Two of my favourite links on the topic:
https://markmanson.net/not-giving-a-fuck
http://www.inoveryourhead.net/2011/04/25/the-complete-guide-to-not-giving-a-fuck/
Enjoy :)
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+1 for not giving a fuck.
Honestly, if you're meeting the basic level of cleanliness and clothed-ness to be socially acceptable, most people do not care. At all. And you will save money, time, and mental bandwith by not caring right along with them.
In the past year I stopped wearing make up, started washing my hair less, and (almost) stopped buying new clothes. No one noticed, and I still look good!
No amount of make-up, skincare, or fashion will have as much of an impact as a healthy lifestyle.
Mustachian beauty regimen: good food, water, exercise, sleep, and low stress
Also: Frugalwoods has some great pieces on this http://www.frugalwoods.com/2015/07/27/less-makeup-more-confidence-my-frugal-beauty-manifesto/
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So I hope no one minds me resurrecting this thread, but it came up in my searches, and I'm seeing a few things I do that I don't see shared.
1) Hairsticks! No, seriously. I haven't gotten my hair cut in over two years (I clip out tangles and split ends when I find them with a little pair of sewing scissors. But Hairsticks are much less harsh on your hair then ties/clips. So, I have waist-length hair, and I just braid it, and pin it up with a hairstick. 5 minutes, in the morning, tops!
At night, I unpin it, brush it, and re-braid it. I only wash it about once a week, and it works out perfectly fine. :) And I get a lot of compliments on my hair, especially when I wear one of my more colourful or shiny hairsticks. And hairsticks, properly used, will hold through roller coasters! (They will also hold when swimming, -- I have two metal hairsticks I use when I'm swimming) Long hair really is low-maintenance!
2) Henna: I'm surprised no one's mentioned (or if they did I didn't see it), Henna Hair Dye for the folks who want to colour their hair! I henna my hair using a solid henna block (henna mixed with shea butter and such), and one block will do about two dye jobs for my long hair . . but considering I only colour may hair once every six months, at most, it's really not that much. And, honestly, I might just not buy another block when I finish this one, and see how much I miss it.
3) Water. Though a lot of folks have talked about hydration, may I just add -- keep a water bottle in your purse! It helps -so- much, especially in summers.
4) Razors. I don't shave very often (and not at all in winter). I do, however, need to keep my pits and groin somewhat clipped -- but I use scissors rather then a razor. Just a dedicated pair of sewing scissors. I do use a razor every once in a while when my legs get super-hairy, but that's probably only once or twice per summer. . so my pack of razors lasts -forever-!
5) I do wear makeup for some formal occasions or if I'm going to be preforming/presenting. It's a chance to have fun and get 'dressed up', and it spares me the 'are you ok, you look like you're going to faint' statements. I do have to be very particular about my makeup, since I have a carmine allergy, so there's only a few brands I can buy from. . . but now, I have my makeup stash, and I don't need any more for a -long- while!
The only thing I wear regularly is a mineral powder that helps with my acne and gives a bit of sun protection. I put in my order for lots of it when the maker has a sale and/or free shipping. :D
6) Microfiber Washcloths. I was initially skeptical, but these things are amazing! They exfoliate, and are great removers of makeup, dirt and more! And you can just throw them in the wash. I've had mine for -years- now and they're still going strong. I use them pretty much every day.
And finally, seconding/thirding 'n'th-ing the 'just don't give a fuck' option. So long as you are comfortable in your own skin, that's the most important part, I think.
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So I hope no one minds me resurrecting this thread, but it came up in my searches, and I'm seeing a few things I do that I don't see shared.
I don't mind.
It's a reminder I need to try coconut oil. I've seen a big tub at Costco, is that what you previous posters use?
But that tub's so huge I feel it would last forever or go rancid.
https://www.costco.ca/Kirkland-Signature-Organic-Virgin-Coconut-Oil-2-pack.product.100423976.html
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So I hope no one minds me resurrecting this thread, but it came up in my searches, and I'm seeing a few things I do that I don't see shared.
I don't mind.
It's a reminder I need to try coconut oil. I've seen a big tub at Costco, is that what you previous posters use?
But that tub's so huge I feel it would last forever or go rancid.
https://www.costco.ca/Kirkland-Signature-Organic-Virgin-Coconut-Oil-2-pack.product.100423976.html
Store some in the fridge and freeze the rest. When you need more, defrost, scoop some out and refreeze. Works great!
It also makes a wonderful sexy times lube that's natural and doesn't stain the sheets! I may have mentioned this tip upthread, but this thread is so old, it bears repeating.
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I may be in the minority here, but I love makeup - the whole nine yards. I actually find blending eye-shadow therapeutic and will often sit and do it on particularly long and boring or stressful conference calls (I work from home).
With that said - Wet N Wild and Elf are both cruelty free and make perfectly good products and are widely available most everywhere. I'm pretty sure the dollar store even carries some Elf products. They are inexpensive and no one will ever know whether you're wearing a $60 foundation or a $5 foundation. ALSO, coupons and ebates and online sales are so easy to find. My Walmart typically has an entire section of clearance makeup. Essence is another brand that makes quality makeup for EXTREMELY low prices; it's just not as widely available here.
I know that's not the most Mustachian answer, but I place value on the fun and creative outlet of makeup, so I do spend a little on it to enjoy!
My grocery also had a huge brand clearing of a more natural, cruelty free skincare line - I guess they stopped selling it? So, they had SPF moisturizers and cleansers on clearance for >$3. I snatched some of those up and am now set on skincare for at least the next year. I'm always keeping an eye out for items like that.
Another brand that I find just as good as, if not better than, expensive products is CeraVe. And there are always coupons or two for one deals available.
I ALSO balayage my own hair. It makes it easy to go MONTHS without a touch-up. There are a few tutorials online and my favorites are the back tease method or the twisting method. Both have provided excellent results and saved me THOUSANDS of dollars at this point. I also don't color my hair at all in the summer because sun and chlorine and such.
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I also love makeup! I’m terrible at eye shadow but I love lipstick.
I do spend more money on certain products that work well with my sensitive skin. Most foundations I’ve tried cause my skin to turn red and flaky, so I’m willing to spend $25 on the one bottle that keeps my skin happy and exactly matches my skin tone. I don’t wear it every day and only use it to smooth over discoloration, so the bottle lasts for a while. Ditto for lipstick; many of the drugstore ones I’ve tried contain something that makes my lips flake and split horribly and/or smell weird, so I’m willing to spend $20-30 on something that I love and can wear comfortably every day if I want. A tube of lipstick lasts a long time so again, not a frequent expenditure.
Products like mascara or eyeliner, however...drugstore all the way, preferably on sale and/or with a coupon. If I could find a drugstore blush that didn’t have brown/beige undertones (which make me look consumptive), I’d buy that too. My skin also seems happy with the Simple line of skincare and Suave shampoo/conditioner.
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I've got to say, I got an epilator for Christmas and I really like it. The first time I used it was TERRIBLE, and it took me an hour to do my armpits because I could only do like 5 seconds at a time before I got all teary and couldn't see anymore. After that first time it barely hurts at all. I've been maintaining with ~ 15 minutes twice a week and exfoliation with an exfoliation glove in the shower to reduce ingrown hairs.
Even though I'm blonde, my hair is very thick, and my legs would be prickly and uncomfortable by evening when I shaved in the morning. They are consistently much softer using the epilator. I know it will take a long time, but I'm excited for the day when my hair stops growing back as much. That was honestly my biggest goal in getting one - convincing all of my follicles to give up eventually :)
I've been using a shampoo bar with an apple cider vinegar rinse, and I think my hair looks healthier than ever, even with longer between washings.
Bar soap for the dirty bits instead of body wash everywhere has been perfectly sufficient to make me feel and smell clean, and my skin is less dry and itchy than it usually is in the winter, even being super pregnant. I've hardly had to use any lotion at all.
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I use bar soap instead of body washes mostly to reduce plastic and avoid microbead plastics, but they also last a long time and the fragrances aren't nearly as overwhelming as body wash (to me).
I have an epilator and love it when I use it but it's no fun if I have to start fresh!! I never did get tolerant to my armpits and I have a ridiculously high pain tolerance. Such stubborn thick hairs!
I've recently started wearing liquid lipstick to try to stop chewing my lips and I love love love how it looks. I grabbed a couple Wet n Wild for $1 on sale at Walgreens after reading reviews and they're working really well for me.
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All the people in this thread using coconut oil on skin... must not have acne prone skin! It's highly comedogenic and clogs pores (sits on the top layer of skin, doesn't absorb). I avoid this in any products (cocos nucifera) since it can really exacerbate some skin conditions.
Also baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar on skin, ouch! Be gentle with your skin. CeraVe makes good skincare products at drugstore prices.
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I wash my face with just a washcloth soaked in warm water, unless I have been wearing makeup, in which case I use coconut or other oil. Has worked well for many years now.
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All the people in this thread using coconut oil on skin... must not have acne prone skin! It's highly comedogenic and clogs pores (sits on the top layer of skin, doesn't absorb). I avoid this in any products (cocos nucifera) since it can really exacerbate some skin conditions.
Also baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar on skin, ouch! Be gentle with your skin. CeraVe makes good skincare products at drugstore prices.
Yup. I have rosacea and no way would I put that stuff on my face. I even had trouble using it to deep condition my hair. My lady parts seem not to mind it one bit, however ;-)
I switched from shampoo to baking soda with a diluted vinegar rinse about a year ago and really, really like it. It's easy, it lasts far longer than a shampoo wash, and my hair and scalp seem much happier.
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All the people in this thread using coconut oil on skin... must not have acne prone skin! It's highly comedogenic and clogs pores (sits on the top layer of skin, doesn't absorb). I avoid this in any products (cocos nucifera) since it can really exacerbate some skin conditions.
Also baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar on skin, ouch! Be gentle with your skin. CeraVe makes good skincare products at drugstore prices.
Coconut oil causes tiny whiteheads all over my face. I reserve it for eating only.
Agree on bar soap over body wash. I buy the Kirkland brand bars from Costco. $10 for 15 long-lasting bars with a mild, non-offensive fragrance.
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PTF and to read through the whole thing sometime when I get a minute.
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I may be in the minority here, but I love makeup - the whole nine yards. I actually find blending eye-shadow therapeutic and will often sit and do it on particularly long and boring or stressful conference calls (I work from home).
I'm in awe of people like you. Eyeshadow baffles me. I only wear it when it's applied by a professional.
I’m terrible at eye shadow...
Oh yes, this is me.
... but I love lipstick.
Damn.
I recently rediscovered the only eyeshadow palette I own (it's less than a year old, I just forgot about it), and have been using the lighter shade as a highlighter.
Purists might be horrified, but don't be afraid to repurpose the products you have. My boss has been known to use lipstick as blush when she has to go on TV at short notice.
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Purists might be horrified, but don't be afraid to repurpose the products you have. My boss has been known to use lipstick as blush when she has to go on TV at short notice.
Oh, absolutely! I use items in ways that they're not really marketed all the time! Eye shadow as bronzer or contour. Lipstick as blush. Blush as eye shadow. Eye shadow as a lipstick topper. That's a great money saving tip! I have WAY more makeup than I need, but you can save some serious cash by just getting creative with what you have.
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I've got to say, I got an epilator for Christmas and I really like it.
...cut.....
even being super pregnant.
@chaskavitch and @katscratch What epilator do you use? I have been looking for one, but there are so many options with a wide variety of price points and I cannot decide if I go for a cheaper one first to make sure I like it or if I should just jump all in.
Chaskavitch- You are one tough lady; using an epilator while pregnant sounds like torture!!!
-Marley
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I've got to say, I got an epilator for Christmas and I really like it.
...cut.....
even being super pregnant.
@chaskavitch and @katscratch What epilator do you use? I have been looking for one, but there are so many options with a wide variety of price points and I cannot decide if I go for a cheaper one first to make sure I like it or if I should just jump all in.
Chaskavitch- You are one tough lady; using an epilator while pregnant sounds like torture!!!
-Marley
@Marley09 I have the Braun Silk-epil 9. I got it on sale, but it was still a splurge. It was REALLY well reviewed, though. The only bad thing about using it while I'm pregnant is that I can't actually SEE my bikini line, ha, so that area is just languishing and growing thicker and thicker. I am not really looking forward to using it there, but it would be better than shaving. I hate shaving my bikini line. So many ingrown hairs :(
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I'm a male, not pretty, and am happily married without a need to impress anyone else.
That said, I do lift weights frequently and keep my weight down enough to maintain the body of an underwear model, albeit a middle-aged one with a previous injury affecting my muscular symmetry. In addition to the health benefits, I certainly will admit that I enjoy the effects this has on my appearance. I do this for myself, and it gives me a lot of personal pride and confidence. I've actually found that I receive very few compliments/comments on my body from women my age or younger; they most frequently come from other men (in the vein of "dude, you're jacked") or older women. Don't know if that's the 'dadbod' phenomenon or whatever, but since I don't need the attentions of eligible females, it's not a big concern of mine.
As part of my vanity, I do some bodily grooming and shaving. My mustachian hack (beyond buzzing my own hair) is in spritzing my razor with isopropyl alcohol after each use and allowing it to dry blade-side up. The idea is to minimize buildup of mineral deposits from hard water. I was dubious that this would make a difference when I started it, but it has multiplied the working lifetime of my razors by many times. I use each cartridge for months and months. Once I've burned through my existing stock, I might move to cheaper razors, but I should still have enough for several more years.
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Much to my chagrin, I discovered yesterday I am nearly out of my favorite soap. I had planned on making a special trip to WW, but later decided I'll use something from our guest bathroom toiletry stash. That will keep me from purchasing anything until payday. Hopefully.
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I'm a male, not pretty, and am happily married without a need to impress anyone else.
I hope you're not implying that those of us in this thread, happily married or otherwise, fuss over our appearances to impress others or for any other reason beyond personal enjoyment.
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I didn't read his statements as applying to anyone else. To me it sounded like Arbitrage has realized it makes him feel good to look good and acknowledges that our culture doesn't reinforce that mindset.
I also didn't take his mentions of "dressing to impress" as a judgment of people's motivations.
Sometimes I wear makeup just for me, but there certainly are times I wear a particular outfit and lipstick because I know it's more appealing to others. I personally don't see anything wrong with that - my sense of self worth isn't tied to my appearance - but I totally recognize the impulse to "look my best" for someone else.
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I didn't read his statements as applying to anyone else. To me it sounded like Arbitrage has realized it makes him feel good to look good and acknowledges that our culture doesn't reinforce that mindset.
I also didn't take his mentions of "dressing to impress" as a judgment of people's motivations.
Sometimes I wear makeup just for me, but there certainly are times I wear a particular outfit and lipstick because I know it's more appealing to others. I personally don't see anything wrong with that - my sense of self worth isn't tied to my appearance - but I totally recognize the impulse to "look my best" for someone else.
Thanks, sorry if anyone misunderstands; I'm definitely not passing judgment on anyone who does or does not beautify themselves in one way or another, and I certainly don't want to claim any moral high ground (or low ground). Just stating that my motivation is personal to provide some context to my vain torso-primping (though the razor hack also applies to the same razor I use on non-bearded portions of my face). Mind you, that doesn't mean that I hide my hard work under baggy clothes or otherwise.
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Oh, absolutely! I use items in ways that they're not really marketed all the time! Eye shadow as bronzer or contour. Lipstick as blush. Blush as eye shadow. Eye shadow as a lipstick topper. That's a great money saving tip! I have WAY more makeup than I need, but you can save some serious cash by just getting creative with what you have.
Just be cautious with this -- some pigments in eye shadow are not safe on the lips (they're not safe to eat), and some pigments for things like lipsticks and blush are not safe near your eyes. You might have to do a bit of research to find out, depending on the brand of your makeup.
One of the re-purposes I've heard-but-not-tried -- for nail polish, use 1 clear coat, a bit of powdered eye shadow, and another clear coat to seal. (I can't speak to this one myself, since I don't do nail polish, but the idea intrigued me.)
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Use an epilator instead of a razor, which would need to be replaced. Use a loofah to exfoliate instead of scrubs. If you let the loofah dry out completely every time it'll actually last a long time. Ditto on the sunscreen, but I also wear a hat as much as possible. Really helps a lot, and you'll glare less! For acne, I find the acne.org products the most economical.
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I just have to share here that I finally figured out how to give myself a complete Brazilian wax! There was a lot of trial and error and the first time I kept getting a cramp from the contorting, but now I'm saving $50 a month and getting a yoga workout! LOL
I have my own wax pot (it's like a mini crockpot that I bought for $50 about three years ago and it's still going strong) and I use the hard wax and wooden sticks that I buy in bulk from a beauty supply store. The key is to have a really large handheld mirror you can lay on the floor to see "the area" :)
I've also experimented with the sugar wax recipes on youtube with very good results for my legs and underarms (they use just regular sugar, water, and lemon juice that you cook on the stove into a gel). I might switch to that method once I run out of hard wax for even more savings.
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I just have to share here that I finally figured out how to give myself a complete Brazilian wax! There was a lot of trial and error and the first time I kept getting a cramp from the contorting, but now I'm saving $50 a month and getting a yoga workout! LOL
I have my own wax pot (it's like a mini crockpot that I bought for $50 about three years ago and it's still going strong) and I use the hard wax and wooden sticks that I buy in bulk from a beauty supply store. The key is to have a really large handheld mirror you can lay on the floor to see "the area" :)
I've also experimented with the sugar wax recipes on youtube with very good results for my legs and underarms (they use just regular sugar, water, and lemon juice that you cook on the stove into a gel). I might switch to that method once I run out of hard wax for even more savings.
I did my bikini (not Brazilian) a few years ago. Too painful.
But I love buying the pre-waxes strips for my legs. About $15 for 40 strips and I get 8-10 uses in.
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1. Cheap conditioner. I use it to shave and I also never use shampoo. I "wash" my curly hair with lots of conditioner, gentle scrubbing, lots of rinsing. Then I use my nice conditioner in the normal way. I haven't used shampoo in many years.
2. Jojoba oil. I use it all over, hair and body.
3. Store knock offs of expensive brands, like cerave.
4. Sunscreen!!!!!!
5. Retin A--worth every penny. Can be had by prescription or bought cheap online. It is the gold standard in anti aging. If you only do one thing use sunscreen. If you only do two things, use sunscreen and retin A.
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Retin A--worth every penny. Can be had by prescription or bought cheap online. It is the gold standard in anti aging. If you only do one thing use sunscreen. If you only do two things, use sunscreen and retin A.
Agreed. You can bypass a lot of expensive moisturisers by using prescription tretinoin instead. Does more and is cheaper.
Also, exercise, sleeping well, and a good diet will help your appearance more than expensive makeup. And posture. Can make a big difference to how you look, as well as make you feel better - https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en.
I'm trying to lift my game so am also half-heartedly splodging on lippy at work these days. Not sure the world has registered this yet.
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How do you guys feel about cheap sunscreen vs expensive sunscreen? After my younger kid got badly burnt at the pool a few days ago with her summer camp, I splashed out on Euro 17 sunscreen. It's the brand (La Roche Posay) that my dermatologist recommends. The cheap stuff costs around Euro 10 and seems to work ok but this stuff is really nice and apparently (according to my dermatologist) has some secret ingredient that blocks both UVA and UVB really well.
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How do you guys feel about cheap sunscreen vs expensive sunscreen? After my younger kid got badly burnt at the pool a few days ago with her summer camp, I splashed out on Euro 17 sunscreen. It's the brand (La Roche Posay) that my dermatologist recommends. The cheap stuff costs around Euro 10 and seems to work ok but this stuff is really nice and apparently (according to my dermatologist) has some secret ingredient that blocks both UVA and UVB really well.
My experience with European skincare is that it's crazy expensive relative to American prices, and I've never been able to figure out why.
I use the Environmental Working Group's site (https://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/) and go for the cheapest stuff that's a 1 or 2. Typically that's Neutrogena Sheer Zinc Dry-Touch SPF 30, because there's often a store coupon or "buy one get one" deal going on at some point in the early summer.
Not sure how much this will help you, but best of luck!
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1. Cheap conditioner. I use it to shave and I also never use shampoo. I "wash" my curly hair with lots of conditioner, gentle scrubbing, lots of rinsing. Then I use my nice conditioner in the normal way. I haven't used shampoo in many years.
2. Jojoba oil. I use it all over, hair and body.
3. Store knock offs of expensive brands, like cerave.
4. Sunscreen!!!!!!
5. Retin A--worth every penny. Can be had by prescription or bought cheap online. It is the gold standard in anti aging. If you only do one thing use sunscreen. If you only do two things, use sunscreen and retin A.
Got any links for cheap retin A online?
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How do you guys feel about cheap sunscreen vs expensive sunscreen?
I use inexpensive sunscreen on my body & expensive on my face.
But even on my face I use a body sunscreen that is about 1/3 the price per volume compared to the same brand’s “face” version. The ingredient lists are almost identical so you are just paying for fancy packaging for the smaller vile.
https://www.frezyderm.com/sun-care/body-sunscreens/sun-screen-velvet-body-spf-50/
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Yes this LaRoche Posay stuff is really nice as a face sunscreen. Not too oily.
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1. Cheap conditioner. I use it to shave and I also never use shampoo. I "wash" my curly hair with lots of conditioner, gentle scrubbing, lots of rinsing. Then I use my nice conditioner in the normal way. I haven't used shampoo in many years.
2. Jojoba oil. I use it all over, hair and body.
3. Store knock offs of expensive brands, like cerave.
4. Sunscreen!!!!!!
5. Retin A--worth every penny. Can be had by prescription or bought cheap online. It is the gold standard in anti aging. If you only do one thing use sunscreen. If you only do two things, use sunscreen and retin A.
Got any links for cheap retin A online?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVa-wq59oaQ
FiftyPlusBeauty has some suggestions in the link above. I recommend looking up a favorite and reputable beauty youtuber to search for retin A sources.
I also recommend HotAndFlashy on Youtube for all things anti aging, especially sunscreen. She does really thourough sunscreen reviews and has recomendations for both pricey and drug store sunscreens. You really don't have to spend a lot to get a nice sunscreen.
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1. Cheap conditioner. I use it to shave and I also never use shampoo. I "wash" my curly hair with lots of conditioner, gentle scrubbing, lots of rinsing. Then I use my nice conditioner in the normal way. I haven't used shampoo in many years.
2. Jojoba oil. I use it all over, hair and body.
3. Store knock offs of expensive brands, like cerave.
4. Sunscreen!!!!!!
5. Retin A--worth every penny. Can be had by prescription or bought cheap online. It is the gold standard in anti aging. If you only do one thing use sunscreen. If you only do two things, use sunscreen and retin A.
Got any links for cheap retin A online?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVa-wq59oaQ
FiftyPlusBeauty has some suggestions in the link above. I recommend looking up a favorite and reputable beauty youtuber to search for retin A sources.
I also recommend HotAndFlashy on Youtube for all things anti aging, especially sunscreen. She does really thourough sunscreen reviews and has recomendations for both pricey and drug store sunscreens. You really don't have to spend a lot to get a nice sunscreen.
Thanks Denise!!
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If you have recently lost weight or gained weight and have friends in the same boat, tell them to please think of you when they are cleaning out their closets. I have recently lost 90 lbs through surgery and had 2 friends give me work dresses and a pair of jeans. I’ve given an armful of fleeces and jackets away to my mom. Let people help you, and you can help other people—it’s great!
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If you have recently lost weight or gained weight and have friends in the same boat, tell them to please think of you when they are cleaning out their closets. I have recently lost 90 lbs through surgery and had 2 friends give me work dresses and a pair of jeans. I’ve given an armful of fleeces and jackets away to my mom. Let people help you, and you can help other people—it’s great!
If you think you have enough people that would participate, I've really enjoyed having closet-swap parties. Everyone brings stuff they don't need anymore plus drinks or food to share, and you sort the stuff by size/category and go shopping. One of my friends has an intricate pick-a-number order process to ensure that it's fair, but I've never felt it was necessary.
My favorite jean jacket came from one of those parties, but my favorite experience was giving away a really nice picnic basket I got as a wedding present. (It wasn't strictly within the guidelines, but it was super nice and I wasn't willing to just give it to Goodwill.) Someone got it as their first pick, and raved about how she'd been looking for one and was so excited about it. I'm still happy it went to a good home.
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
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I agree on the RetinA! (love Hot and Flashy youtuber too :)
Also I use her suggestions for Timeless Vit C serums.
A few things I don't scrimp on first: 50spf for face, Clarisonic, Olaplex.
My hacks or tried true cheap stuff:
Cetaphil to wash face- always 40% off coupon usage at CVS
Rose hip oil for moisturizing face (I mix with vit c serum as I put on)
Home made deodorant (been making for over 10 years and love it! mix of coconut oil, baking soda and shea butter)
Wash hair (CGM curly girl method) with Suave conditioners.
Use my own homemade Flax Seed Gel for my curls (there are many youtubes on fsg)
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
Yes. Cut your fingernails to under 1 mm, and you will not have a problem with weak, shredding fingernails.
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
I recently started putting a scoop of collagen into my coffee every day, and my nails have never been better. Should help with your goal of high protein, and great for your hair and nails.
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
You may consider getting more of certain foods in your diet, such as more dark leafy greens, nuts, legumes, and grains. They have a lot of nutrients nails require other than protein, like iron and omega 3, though some sources have lots of protein as well (obviously beans, lentils, quinoa, farro, etc.). Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts are great sources for omega-3 and you only need a little bit, but they also have a lot of other great benefits for nails you can look up. Also, try some brazil nuts which are really high in selenium. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, and dried apricots are also some inexpensive sources. I don't want to get into a long explanation or anything, but I think generally the body is better able to absorb certain nutrients when they're a whole food source rather than an isolated supplement because they tend to be 'packaged' with other nutrients that help facilitate better absorption. (E.g. vitamin c helps iron absorption)
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
Yes. Cut your fingernails to under 1 mm, and you will not have a problem with weak, shredding fingernails.
Wow. Fuck off.
[MOD NOTE: What? Forum Rule #1]
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
Yes. Cut your fingernails to under 1 mm, and you will not have a problem with weak, shredding fingernails.
I wasn't aware that you aimed to be a "pretty" mustachian.
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Alas, @GuitarStv, though I am sure you are kind and well intentioned, your suggestion does not work. Fragile nails just keep breaking, even when they're short.
Here's another tip for @MoolahLula to try. Buy a bunch of emery boards or files and stash them everywhere, so you always have one within reach. Gently smooth every little snag and split as soon as you notice it. Do not pick at or bite them! It really will help. My nails used to be strong and long, but menopause changed all that and nothing Ive tried since has made much of a difference, but the smoothing helps.
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OK all over the place.
Everything that people mentioned before. Exercise, walking outside, hydrated, stop frowning and smile instead.
Things I've need to work on: posture. Pulling in my "gut" when I'm walking. Having clothes that fit your shape (something I need to work on).
I only pretty recently started defining my brows, and it DOES open the face.
coconut Vaseline for the lips, as well as feet.
I am a fan of cetaphil lotion and soap. The soap lasts a long time.
I feel that taking either a fish oil or flax seed oil supplement makes my skin look/feel better.
My daughter and I both inherited oily/breakout prone skin. We are both a fan of QUEEN HELENE Mint Julep masque. It used to be carried by the dollar store ($3?) but my supply is getting low http://www.ebonyline.com/queen-helene-mint-julep-masque.html
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Alas, @GuitarStv, though I am sure you are kind and well intentioned, your suggestion does not work. Fragile nails just keep breaking, even when they're short.
If they're still breaking while short, just use multiple layers of clear nail polish. When I was doing Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, I'd regularly get my nails ripped in half or torn out as the rough material of a gi is pulled forcefully through your hands a lot. I'd just use superglue to glue the nail bed back into place, and then layer several layers of clear nail polish to reduce the chance of it happening again.
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I switched to The Ordinary for skincare. It's sold at Sephora, but the prices are lower than at the drug store. Most bottles are around $5-7 and they are super clear about what is in them. The products don't have cute names, it's just "Retinol 1% in Squalane." The formulas and packaging are simple. It makes you realize how much you're paying for pretty packages and marketing.
Also, Sephora staff will give you a fairly generous sample of ANYTHING they have in the store. All you have to do is ask.
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@MoolahLula , I agree with @Dicey and others, supplements are great but frequent filing does help too. One thing to note (as a beauty school drop-out) is that the way most people file their nails is wrong and can lead to further splitting. File from one side to the center, and then switch for the other side, then blunt the center in one direction only. The sawing back and forth that most people do causes micro-fractures in the end-grain of the nail that can lead to further splitting. (or so was the thinking 20 yrs or so ago). Also, wear rubber gloves every time when washing dishing.
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Does anybody have a good recommendation for my weak, shredding fingernails? In the past things that have helped have been straight olive oil, vitamin e oil, and drinking a lot of water. Unfortunately I’m now trending toward anemia and hacks that worked in the past no longer do much. I eat a high protein diet and take supplements.
Yes. Cut your fingernails to under 1 mm, and you will not have a problem with weak, shredding fingernails.
I wasn't aware that you aimed to be a "pretty" mustachian.
Being pretty has absolutely nothing to do with nails or makeup and everything to do with confidence. I wish more females would realize this.
I personally find nail polish to be unnecessary and decidedly anti-mustachian. Once I actually thought about all the toxic chemicals I was putting in our waterways and trash, I quit forever. I don't even own a nail file, I round them out with the clippers and it's fine. I have saved myself hours over the course of my lifetime of not doing my nails. Plus, the 3 day nail chip looks so, so terrible.
Don't get me started on nail salons. What a humongous waste of time and money, and the people who work there are exposed to noxious fumes daily.
@MoolahLula No reason to get mad at @GuitarStv - it is good advice and short clean nails are my MO. Now I don't have to worry about them breaking or bending backwards. By the way, if you are wearing nail polish or getting fake nails, there is your answer as to why they are brittle....
All you really need in your daily beauty regimen is sunscreen, some sort of oil to take it off with (I use avocado), moisturizer (recommend Cerave), reusable cotton rounds, and retinol.
I do have some makeup. It is about 5 years old and I hardly ever wear it. Who knows what carcinogens are in there. I do fill in fill in my brows with a pencil, that is about it. All that stuff about makeup expiring in a year is nonsense btw.
My dermatologist recommended to stick with Neutrogena retinol products. He said other brands don't really have guaranteed quality control and so you don't know what retinol they actually have, if they even have it.
I think foundation makeup actually ages you. I look much younger than my biological age and I credit it to clean eating, avoiding alcohol and constant aerobic and strength training.
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“@MoolahLula No reason to get mad at @GuitarStv - it is good advice and short clean nails are my MO. Now I don't have to worry about them breaking or bending backwards. By the way, if you are wearing nail polish or getting fake nails, there is your answer as to why they are brittle.... “
No, anemia would be the answer. Also, please don’t tell me how to feel. I’m about one more mansplaining away from deleting my account here at MMM.
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“@MoolahLula No reason to get mad at @GuitarStv - it is good advice and short clean nails are my MO. Now I don't have to worry about them breaking or bending backwards. By the way, if you are wearing nail polish or getting fake nails, there is your answer as to why they are brittle.... “
No, anemia would be the answer. Also, please don’t tell me how to feel. I’m about one more mansplaining away from deleting my account here at MMM.
Went to a family wedding recently. My sisters wanted to do the mani/pedi bonding thing. Whatevs, so I went. Don't mind painted toes, but can't stand it on my fingernails. I went for short-ish nails and the buff shine. Two weeks later, my fingernails all have these weird half moon shapes toward the cuticle and I'm sure it's an indication that I've contracted some dreaded disease...plus I wasted a perfectly good Benjamin. At least my toes are pretty. Well, when I get a glimpse of them as I'm changing my socks, lol. Oh, and I've broken three of my nails since...
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Went to a family wedding recently. My sisters wanted to do the mani/pedi bonding thing. Whatevs, so I went. Don't mind painted toes, but can't stand it on my fingernails. I went for short-ish nails and the buff shine. Two weeks later, my fingernails all have these weird half moon shapes toward the cuticle and I'm sure it's an indication that I've contracted some dreaded disease...plus I wasted a perfectly good Benjamin. At least my toes are pretty. Well, when I get a glimpse of them as I'm changing my socks, lol. Oh, and I've broken three of my nails since...
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Those foot tubs at nail salons are so gross. Ewww
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“@MoolahLula No reason to get mad at @GuitarStv - it is good advice and short clean nails are my MO. Now I don't have to worry about them breaking or bending backwards. By the way, if you are wearing nail polish or getting fake nails, there is your answer as to why they are brittle.... “
No, anemia would be the answer. Also, please don’t tell me how to feel. I’m about one more mansplaining away from deleting my account here at MMM.
Went to a family wedding recently. My sisters wanted to do the mani/pedi bonding thing. Whatevs, so I went. Don't mind painted toes, but can't stand it on my fingernails. I went for short-ish nails and the buff shine. Two weeks later, my fingernails all have these weird half moon shapes toward the cuticle and I'm sure it's an indication that I've contracted some dreaded disease...plus I wasted a perfectly good Benjamin. At least my toes are pretty. Well, when I get a glimpse of them as I'm changing my socks, lol. Oh, and I've broken three of my nails since...
Fun fact: those half moons are called a Lunula. They are not a disease. :-)
Lunulae are part of your nail matrix. The matrix refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. It contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels. It also produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate, which is what you see.
Although everyone has a nail matrix, not everyone will see or have a lunula on each nail. Those who do have a lunula may notice that they vary in appearance across each nail.
FWIW: I can see mine on both thumbs and the first two fingers of my right hand. The rest are not visible.
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Fun fact: those half moons are called a Lunula. They are not a disease. :-)
Lunulae are part of your nail matrix. The matrix refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. It contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels. It also produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate, which is what you see.
Although everyone has a nail matrix, not everyone will see or have a lunula on each nail. Those who do have a lunula may notice that they vary in appearance across each nail.
FWIW: I can see mine on both thumbs and the first two fingers of my right hand. The rest are not visible.
This is why I skim most of the threads that show up - I learn all sorts of stuff I didn't know I needed to know. Seems I have visible lunulae on all 10 digits.
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Here are some simple changes that have been working out well for me. My genetically induced and hormonal acne-prone skin has never looked better.
- Increasing my water intake. I heard this a lot before but never really took it that seriously. I thought I drank a lot of water before, but noticed I would still get dry lips, especially when I just wake up in the morning and I realized lip balm doesn't actually do anything for them. I started tracking my water to 75 oz in a day (approx 9-10 oz every hour in a normal 8-hr work day), and the lips are look and feel noticeably more plump/filled out and don't require lip balm. I also believe it helps with skin by hydrating it, making the cells appear more 'plump' and thus smaller pores, and helps reduce oiliness. I have indented acne scarring on my forehead and the scars look minimized when the skin is hydrated. Go figure. I'd been wanting to use ablative lasers but water is working out well for me.
- I feel silly, but this next change was spurred by (1) wanting to go on various camping trips this summer and not wanting to feel like I look any different from my normal life (2) wanting to improve my complexion and (3) my lovely coworker who just doesn't wear appear to wear any makeup. Inspired at how glowing her skin naturally is and perplexed by my own false, manufactured radiance, I stopped wearing foundation, blush, and lipstick for the month – though I still enjoy eyeliner, eyebrow pencil/powder, and sometimes mascara. I look more or less the same, I think, and haven't gotten a single side eye or 'You look sick,' comment coworkers sometimes give to women who show up without makeup. At first I thought my skin looked dull, but it's been getting better and more naturally glow-y every day. It's a bit tricky when I wear mineral sunscreen, though, so sometimes I am tempted to brush on some bronzer to warm up the ghostly/ashy effect it has on my tan skin tone. Foundation is $40 a tube and may need to be purchased as much as twice a year, so I'm glad I can kick this habit. Bonus: Not wearing as much makeup is a major time saver.
- Hydrating my skin and using gentle skin care products = no more oily skin. I used to have very oily skin, so this is a pretty amazing change. I also didn't realize niacinamide actually reduces sebum production, but it does, and I have been using a niacinamide serum. Well, it works. I use The Ordinary brand. Super cheap. After I put that on, I also put on a hyaluronic acid and vitamin b5 serum by the same brand. Moisturizer is Cerave PM. Stopped using oil cleansers (since I think it still contributes to breakouts) as the first step in double-cleansing my skin and use micellar water instead to remove sunscreen before I go in for a secondary cleanse with Cerave foaming cleanser or Cerave hydrating cleanser. Speaking of skincare products, Cosrx 2% BHA liquid works really well to prevent breakouts because it's really gentle and doesn't dry out the skin.
- No refined sugars, period! And waaaaaay less sodium intake. I already eat a crap ton of vegetables, legumes, nuts, low-sugar, whatever, since I'm a plant-based eater. But my work has candy, and since I started working there I've sometimes scrounged around for a bag of sour patch kids (that shit is my kryptonite). Well, I get instant breakouts from eating stuff like that. We all know sugar creates inflammatory responses and so on but it's good to know that actually exacerbates skin issues.
- I've been doing this for a while since my hair is quite unmanageable and long but it's worth mentioning - braiding the hair. Helps tame the frizz. It's not perfect for the hairs around my face, which tend to be the frizziest despite my best efforts, but it's perfect for sleeping or any other time and results in some nice, heat-free waves. Also, just not even brushing hair after emerging from the shower and letting it air dry completely untouched = natural waves. If I even try to comb it, though, at any step = frizz. So, I do have to live with a bit of frizz but it beats spending time heat styling it and causing damage. I can't use any hair products because it'll make my skin breakout, and I don't like the idea of hair products being mushed into my pillow as I sleep, also exacerbating skin issues. (I never use fabric softener for the same reason.)
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+1 for CeraVe, epilator (I can only do my legs, everywhere else is too damn painful), tretinoin.
I used to spend a crap load of money on Kiehl's products but have not in a long time and will never go back. My skin is very happy with a good spf formulated for oily skin reapplied throughout the day, cerave face wash & moisturizer and retin-a on my face, chest & tops of hands (I'm 34 and my grandma told me to start this kind of thing in my 20's).
How on earth does anyone take the epilator torture device on their armpits!? Or not break out from coconot oil?
Dry shampoo is also a great thing when washing your hair twice a week now feels like one time too many.
Yoga every day so all my 5+ year all-black wardrobe looks decent.
Eyebrows drawn in (NOT like those instagram clowns!!!) with a natural shade shadow really does make a difference.
Don't pick your pimples, the scar will stick around forever, just slap the retin-a on it for a week.
water, veggies and hey maybe a little bit of botox once every 2 years ;) when the credit card rewards pay for every flight, I cut my own hair and eat lovely home cooked meals, that is my main splurge
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^ I actually wash my face with only coconut oil, and have fewer breakouts. Every day, I thoroughly rub coconut oil into my face, ears, and neck, then sort of rinse it with hot water, and then wipe it all off with a clean cloth.
It makes my skin look and feel amazing.
Quitting alcohol has also been huge, I was a regular wine drinker and I did not realize how much damage it was doing to my skin.
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+1 for CeraVe, epilator (I can only do my legs, everywhere else is too damn painful), tretinoin.
I used to spend a crap load of money on Kiehl's products but have not in a long time and will never go back. My skin is very happy with a good spf formulated for oily skin reapplied throughout the day, cerave face wash & moisturizer and retin-a on my face, chest & tops of hands (I'm 34 and my grandma told me to start this kind of thing in my 20's).
How on earth does anyone take the epilator torture device on their armpits!? Or not break out from coconot oil?
Dry shampoo is also a great thing when washing your hair twice a week now feels like one time too many.
Yoga every day so all my 5+ year all-black wardrobe looks decent.
Eyebrows drawn in (NOT like those instagram clowns!!!) with a natural shade shadow really does make a difference.
Don't pick your pimples, the scar will stick around forever, just slap the retin-a on it for a week.
water, veggies and hey maybe a little bit of botox once every 2 years ;) when the credit card rewards pay for every flight, I cut my own hair and eat lovely home cooked meals, that is my main splurge
I literally cried the first time I did my armpits. I did them in ~5 second bursts, then sat there and hyperventilated for another 30 seconds before I tried again. But now it's not a big deal! So if you really want to, know that it gets better over time :)
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Fun fact: those half moons are called a Lunula. They are not a disease. :-)
Lunulae are part of your nail matrix. The matrix refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. It contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels. It also produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate, which is what you see.
Although everyone has a nail matrix, not everyone will see or have a lunula on each nail. Those who do have a lunula may notice that they vary in appearance across each nail.
FWIW: I can see mine on both thumbs and the first two fingers of my right hand. The rest are not visible.
This is why I skim most of the threads that show up - I learn all sorts of stuff I didn't know I needed to know. Seems I have visible lunulae on all 10 digits.
Thanks, so do I, Dog, but this is something different. The surface of the nail actually has half-moon shaped indentations. At the base if the nail, where it's growing out, the nail is lower and the ridge is crescent shaped. It's the same curve as the cuticle, which is the opposite of the lunula. I think the manicurist just used too much pressure when she buffed my nails. And thanks, lexde. I know the function of the half moons at the base of the nails, but had forgotten the name for them. I was worried that the manicurist had caused long-term damage to the nail beds, but I'm hopeful they'll be okay once they grow out. We'll just have to wait and see.
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Fun fact: those half moons are called a Lunula. They are not a disease. :-)
Lunulae are part of your nail matrix. The matrix refers to the tissue just beneath your nail. It contains nerves, lymph, and blood vessels. It also produces the cells that become the hardened nail plate, which is what you see.
Although everyone has a nail matrix, not everyone will see or have a lunula on each nail. Those who do have a lunula may notice that they vary in appearance across each nail.
FWIW: I can see mine on both thumbs and the first two fingers of my right hand. The rest are not visible.
This is why I skim most of the threads that show up - I learn all sorts of stuff I didn't know I needed to know. Seems I have visible lunulae on all 10 digits.
Thanks, so do I, Dog, but this is something different. The surface of the nail actually has half-moon shaped indentations. At the base if the nail, where it's growing out, the nail is lower and the ridge is crescent shaped. It's the same curve as the cuticle, which is the opposite of the lunula. I think the manicurist just used too much pressure when she buffed my nails. And thanks, lexde. I know the function of the half moons at the base of the nails, but had forgotten the name for them. I was worried that the manicurist had caused long-term damage to the nail beds, but I'm hopeful they'll be okay once they grow out. We'll just have to wait and see.
I think I know what you're describing -- it happened to me when I got a gel dip manicure around Christmas. It was aqua glitter and SO beautiful for about 2 weeks and then my nails were damaged :/ They sort of dremeled the surface of my nail to rough it up enough to get the dip to stick properly, which meant that for a few months after I had it removed, there were half-moon-shaped depressions on the surface of my nail, like a sunken living room, and the half-moons faced the opposite direction as the lunulae.
It eventually grew out but made my nails weaker as the part with the ridge approached the fingertip. It's all gone now and I haven't been polishing my nails because what's the point when you wash your hands 15x a day?
BUT -- @MoolahLula I did find a product that makes a HUGE difference in the strength of my nails and in my cuticles, too -- CND Cuticle Oil (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0037MIMLW). I'm not sure if it's the particular formulation of the oil that makes it so good, or just the delivery mechanism of a regular nail polish brush that makes it easier to apply, but either way, it really sinks in and makes my nails thicker and stronger and less likely to peel as they grow out.
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@Malkynn I forgot to mention in my post that I gave up alcohol as well, the benefits fall into every category imaginable. After six months I had a glass of wine and regretted it the next morning.
Another one I forgot to mention is shaving my face with little face razors from the drug store. It does not grow back darker or thicker and makes the products I do use more effective.
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^ I actually wash my face with only coconut oil, and have fewer breakouts. Every day, I thoroughly rub coconut oil into my face, ears, and neck, then sort of rinse it with hot water, and then wipe it all off with a clean cloth.
It makes my skin look and feel amazing.
Quitting alcohol has also been huge, I was a regular wine drinker and I did not realize how much damage it was doing to my skin.
Re: coconut oil, I can't put it on my face because it causes my pores to clog, so I get tiny little whiteheads all over. I once purchased a highly rated pressed powder compact, didn't check the ingredients closely, and realized that it contained coconut oil only after my face turned into a lawn of whiteheads. A little more digging revealed that it's considered comedogenic and not recommended for oily skin, which explains why my mom can use it but I can't. Her skin looks great.
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1. Stay in shape.
2. Don't get out of shape.
3. If you are out of shape, get back into shape.
4. If you're a guy, feel lucky that most women aren't as shallow as we are. Your personality and physique can make up for less than perfectly symmetrical features.
5. If you're a lady, sorry we are so shallow.
While Guitarstv has a point, in real life attractiveness can matter. Up to a point.
I like to stay in shape....round shape. :D:D
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In beauty news, I have shaved today. Also changed my pants and shirt. It had been a couple weeks for both. :P
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^ I actually wash my face with only coconut oil, and have fewer breakouts. Every day, I thoroughly rub coconut oil into my face, ears, and neck, then sort of rinse it with hot water, and then wipe it all off with a clean cloth.
It makes my skin look and feel amazing.
Quitting alcohol has also been huge, I was a regular wine drinker and I did not realize how much damage it was doing to my skin.
THANK YOU!
I'm a guy, but I recently started taking a medication that will make me even more prone to acne. And I have issues with the feeling of soap on my skin, I rinse way too much and can't wash my face without getting water everywhere. This sounds like it'd be much easier approach for me.
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I need a rec for my almost 12 year old daughter. She has beautiful curly hair that lately has been going a bit flat. I bought her some supermarket curly hair shampoo recently (Pantene) and we have a curly hair 'product' that she's been applying but still her curls are looking a bit less curly and she's upset about it.
It's possible that it's just all her hormones making her hair go straighter but I was wondering if maybe she would be a good candidate for the no-poo, curly girl hair washing techniques. Being a wavy haired person myself, I have absolutely no clue about this. I tried googling but came up with a bunch of really expensive hair products.
O, curly haired mustachians - what do you recommend?
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1. Stay in shape.
2. Don't get out of shape.
3. If you are out of shape, get back into shape.
4. If you're a guy, feel lucky that most women aren't as shallow as we are. Your personality and physique can make up for less than perfectly symmetrical features.
5. If you're a lady, sorry we are so shallow.
While Guitarstv has a point, in real life attractiveness can matter. Up to a point.
I like to stay in shape....round shape. :D:D
Me too. Also, I hate to break it to you but us hetero women are shallow too. If you pile on the flab, we notice and may dump you for Jason Momoa if he were to become single again.
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I need a rec for my almost 12 year old daughter. She has beautiful curly hair that lately has been going a bit flat. I bought her some supermarket curly hair shampoo recently (Pantene) and we have a curly hair 'product' that she's been applying but still her curls are looking a bit less curly and she's upset about it.
It's possible that it's just all her hormones making her hair go straighter but I was wondering if maybe she would be a good candidate for the no-poo, curly girl hair washing techniques. Being a wavy haired person myself, I have absolutely no clue about this. I tried googling but came up with a bunch of really expensive hair products.
O, curly haired mustachians - what do you recommend?
I use TreSemme Botanique nourish and replenish with coconut milk and aloe vera for conditioner. It has to be that exact brand because you can't have silicone in it. No sulfates either for shampoo. Try go to Reddit's curly hair subthread; lots of good info there. I like the Cantu brand shampoos. I use the cheapest and strongest hair gel right after I'm done with showering and after the mass amount of scrunched in gel I scrunch my hair dry with a t-shirt. Then air dry.
The main thing is to not have silicates or sulfates and not brush your hair. Use really strong gel. Don't towel dry. Air dry.
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O, curly haired mustachians - what do you recommend?
I would recommend seeing if your library has the original Curly Girl Method book. Also check out the method of hair plopping with a T-shirt to dry the hair post-shower, I forget what it's called exactly.
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I need a rec for my almost 12 year old daughter. She has beautiful curly hair that lately has been going a bit flat. I bought her some supermarket curly hair shampoo recently (Pantene) and we have a curly hair 'product' that she's been applying but still her curls are looking a bit less curly and she's upset about it.
It's possible that it's just all her hormones making her hair go straighter but I was wondering if maybe she would be a good candidate for the no-poo, curly girl hair washing techniques. Being a wavy haired person myself, I have absolutely no clue about this. I tried googling but came up with a bunch of really expensive hair products.
O, curly haired mustachians - what do you recommend?
I've been doing th curly girl method for 10 years. There are some groups that are helpful on FB. My main things for my hair is to avoid silicones, sulphates, heavy waxes and oils, to get the protein and moisture balance right, and to style with homemade flax seed gel, a hard hold gel, and to 'plop'.
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A YouTuber I follow recently recommended a hack I have been inadvertently doing for about 10 years - go through a makeup detox and readjust your eyes to what you look like without make up. It helps turn make up from something you have to do every day otherwise you look 'sick' into a fun thing you do to dress yourself up.
(in my case it's because my skin decided to develop dermatitis from all forms of make-up so I couldn't wear it)
The other one is to spend some time working out your best colours and shapes for clothes. I know know that mid-saturation colours are the most flattering for me- if I go too light I look washed out, too saturated and I suddenly have dark circles under my eyes.
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I’ve been increasingly disappointed with drugstore mascaras, so I shelled out $25 for this cake mascara (https://besamecosmetics.com/collections/eyes-1/products/black-cake-mascara) from a small company that specializes in vintage-style cosmetics. It took a couple of tries but went on smoothly once I got the consistency right (used too much water at first). It looks like it will last a long time, and I won’t end up chucking plastic tubes in the trash every few months.
(I also bought one of their lipsticks, which don’t budge for hours after you apply them. The tubes last for ages. Plus, they smell nice and look pretty.)
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I did a coconut oil treatment on the last couple inches of my hair (fine-textured, just past shoulder length) because it's seemed extra frizzy lately. After a couple of hours, I shampooed and conditioned normally and let it air-dry after only toweling the ends it lightly and finger-combing. I haven't seen my hair this curly in years!
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I have oily skin and deepset eyes. Western eye products just don't work for me, but Japanese products do. I guess they have the same issues. The BEST mascara I have ever used is called Heroine Make, and can be purchased on Amazon. It's not even expensive. It will not shift at all during the day, not even slightly.
The best cleanser I've used is straight macadamia oil from the supermarket. I keep it in the fridge, and just wipe it on/off with some cotton makeup pads.
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^ I actually wash my face with only coconut oil, and have fewer breakouts. Every day, I thoroughly rub coconut oil into my face, ears, and neck, then sort of rinse it with hot water, and then wipe it all off with a clean cloth.
It makes my skin look and feel amazing.
Quitting alcohol has also been huge, I was a regular wine drinker and I did not realize how much damage it was doing to my skin.
THANK YOU!
I'm a guy, but I recently started taking a medication that will make me even more prone to acne. And I have issues with the feeling of soap on my skin, I rinse way too much and can't wash my face without getting water everywhere. This sounds like it'd be much easier approach for me.
If you are prone to acne, don't use coconut oil, it's one of the few oils that clogs pores, most don't. You can google which oils are best for acne prone skin. My sister is extremely acne prone and uses jojoba oil, which is the most similar to natural skin oil.
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I did a coconut oil treatment on the last couple inches of my hair (fine-textured, just past shoulder length) because it's seemed extra frizzy lately. After a couple of hours, I shampooed and conditioned normally and let it air-dry after only toweling the ends it lightly and finger-combing. I haven't seen my hair this curly in years!
Lol, the last coconut oil treatment I did left me with an afro, it was quite spectacular. Unfortunately, coconut oil can act similar to protein in hair, so the last inch turned to a crisp and started breaking off :(
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I can't remember if I posted it here before but Aldi's natural skincare range - the one with silk proteins and hyaluronic acid- is a pretty good dupe for some of the fancier skincare and is very cheap. It hasn't caused any issues with my stupidly sensitive skin and it can make you feel a lil fancy to apply a serum sometimes. They also do a rosehip oil that makes you wake up with some seriously plush skin.
A hairdresser friend years ago gave me this tip - don't bother with most hair masks, just use your regular conditioner and leave it in for 30 minutes or so.
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Hey,
I've seen a lot of you mention sunscreen daily and it seems silly to me, am I getting something wrong?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29620003/
Meta analysis about sunscreen: "this systematic review does not confirm the expected protective benefits of sunscreen against skin cancer in the general population."
It seems not only that sunscreen is useless, it is also harmful because it blocks the vitamin D synthesis.
Vitamin D is extremely good for your health, good health is needed for beauty...
Exposing your body to sun is good for you.
What do you think?
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Doesn’t really surprise me. I didn’t open the full paper but it looks like it is showing that people who report sunscreen use still get cancer. There are several reasons why that could be. Generally, those who report sunscreen use are getting sun exposure of some nature or they wouldn’t be bothering with the sunscreen. I also don’t think most people use sunscreen the way you are supposed to in either amount used or frequency of reapplication.
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If you use body lotion from a pump bottle, there is generally a LOT still left in the bottle by the time it no longer pumps. Take the pump part out and sitting it upside down in another container to get the rest out. Last time I did this to a 1L bottle of Aveeno, I got a full 250ml of lotion in the container.
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Doesn’t really surprise me. I didn’t open the full paper but it looks like it is showing that people who report sunscreen use still get cancer. There are several reasons why that could be. Generally, those who report sunscreen use are getting sun exposure of some nature or they wouldn’t be bothering with the sunscreen. I also don’t think most people use sunscreen the way you are supposed to in either amount used or frequency of reapplication.
Another study suggested that sunscreen gave people a false sense of security and thus people would stay longer under the sun.
Another one says that sunscreen is dangerous because it blocks some UV but not all, and not the dangerous ones. Your skin doesn't become red so you don't get the natural signal that it's becoming dangerous to stay longer under the sun.
And it blocks the vitamin D synthesis.
It really seems to me that it only has downsides but every time I see people talking about skincare, "sunscreen everyday" appears. It might be right but it doesn't make sense to me and I'd like to figure it out. What are the real scientific arguments for sunscreen everyday or at least every sunny day?
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You don’t really need that much sun exposure for vitamin d synthesis, so I’m not sure that regular sunscreen use is the problem with that.
Sun exposure causes photoaging and that’s why people recommend sunscreen for beauty purposes.
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I know it's unpopular in 2020, but I love the sun. It makes me feel happy, foremost, and at various times in my life I feel it has helped my skin. I grew up in the cold Midwest where every winter I got rashes, eczema, all kinds of funky dry skin issues. The best my skin feels is in the summertime sun.
Hey,
I've seen a lot of you mention sunscreen daily and it seems silly to me, am I getting something wrong?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29620003/
Meta analysis about sunscreen: "this systematic review does not confirm the expected protective benefits of sunscreen against skin cancer in the general population."
It seems not only that sunscreen is useless, it is also harmful because it blocks the vitamin D synthesis.
Vitamin D is extremely good for your health, good health is needed for beauty...
Exposing your body to sun is good for you.
What do you think?
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What do you think?
Personally, I dislike sunscreen, but I also dislike sun damage and do not want to get skin cancer.
So my trick is to stay out of the sun when the UV index is high, and do outdoor activities when the UV index is low. Occasionally friends will ask me to do things like go hang out at the beach in summer in the middle of the day, and I'll put some sunscreen on then.
I also don't use much in the way of products - I don't put a lot of effort in general, I actually often wash my face with body soap, though I do use body soap that's a bit nicer. I also don't really use moisturiser on my face, I do have a bottle that's meant for the face but I end up using it more on my hands instead, lol. I do sometimes use rosehip oil and sometimes diluted essential oils or witch hazel, and when I need to attack a breakout or just feel like a pick-me-up, I might apply an aspirin mask.
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Anybody tried sugaring at home? Any tips and tricks? I'm new so my budget is still a mess and waxing is something I would love so stop spending money on.
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I ride a bike in the road (little to no shade) for 5-6 hours each Saturday in the summer. This wouldn't be possible without sunscreen. Every once in a while I miss a little sliver of skin near where my gloves go and I'll get a tiny bit of badly sunburned skin when I come back. With sunscreen I get only a moderate tan over the summer.
Most people do not use anywhere near enough sunscreen. I rub in a quarter sized blob on my face/neck a little bit more on each arm, even more than that on each leg. If you're doing it right, you'll be rubbing in the sunscreen for a good 10 minutes before it all finally absorbs into your skin and will feel super greasy all over.
You need to use a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB, and re-apply every 3 hours. My understanding is that any SPF value above 30 doesn't really matter.
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GuitarStv, do you reapply sunscreen mid-ride? I think that I remember reading about an increased occurrence of skin cancers near watches because people don't apply sunscreen there - and the same idea would probably apply to the strip of exposed skin above your gloves.
Yes, if it's 5-6 hours. On shorter 4 hr rides I don't usually reapply.
I'm usually very careful about making sure every part of exposed skin gets sunscreen (exception being the forehead as otherwise the sunscreen runs into my eyes and stings . . . but this area is also shaded by my bike helmet), it's usually in the late spring/fall when problems happen. Spring because I forget exactly where all the sunscreen goes (by fall there's usually a pretty evident tan line to apply by), and fall because I tend to underestimate the sun strength when it's cooler and cloudy. One of these years I'll get it right. :P
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I need a rec for my almost 12 year old daughter. She has beautiful curly hair that lately has been going a bit flat. I bought her some supermarket curly hair shampoo recently (Pantene) and we have a curly hair 'product' that she's been applying but still her curls are looking a bit less curly and she's upset about it.
It's possible that it's just all her hormones making her hair go straighter but I was wondering if maybe she would be a good candidate for the no-poo, curly girl hair washing techniques. Being a wavy haired person myself, I have absolutely no clue about this. I tried googling but came up with a bunch of really expensive hair products.
O, curly haired mustachians - what do you recommend?
I use TreSemme Botanique nourish and replenish with coconut milk and aloe vera for conditioner. It has to be that exact brand because you can't have silicone in it. No sulfates either for shampoo. Try go to Reddit's curly hair subthread; lots of good info there. I like the Cantu brand shampoos. I use the cheapest and strongest hair gel right after I'm done with showering and after the mass amount of scrunched in gel I scrunch my hair dry with a t-shirt. Then air dry.
The main thing is to not have silicates or sulfates and not brush your hair. Use really strong gel. Don't towel dry. Air dry.
I wanted to thank the people upthread who recommended the Curly Girl technique for my 12 year old. I'm now doing it too even though my hair is just wavy.
We found the Cantu shampoo and Tresemme Botanique conditioner. I also joined an Italian curly girl group and found some specifically Italian product recs. Being mustachian I went for the cheapo products but still spent a bit on new shampoos, conditioners, a deep conditioner (Hair Food Banana) and a leave in as my hair is really dry as well as cheapo gel.
I also just made my first batch of flax seed gel which is extremely mustachian. Let's see if it works.
My daughter is a t-shirt and jeans wearing non-girly girl but she's happy with the results so willing to do the whole gel thing followed by microfiber towel and air drying.
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Anybody tried sugaring at home? Any tips and tricks? I'm new so my budget is still a mess and waxing is something I would love so stop spending money on.
I've done it. It's taken some trial and error to cook the sugar wax to the right consistency. (Do NOT leave it unattended even for a few seconds.) When it's the right consistency, it's basically glop, yank, repeat. Too soft and it doesn't stick, too hard and you can barely get it out of the container.